Ware Jackson passes another milestone in the historic battle against online sex trafficking

After two trial courts denied motions to dismiss a series of cases alleging Facebook and others facilitated the sex trafficking of minors, the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Houston denied Facebook’s petition for mandamus and is permitting the cases to move forward. Ware Jackson partners Tim Lee, Margaret Bryant, and Michelle R. Meriam Blair serve as appellate counsel for the plaintiffs, who have argued that online platforms that facilitate sex trafficking are not protected by federal statute. This is the first appellate court in the nation to consider the scope and effect of recent amendments to the federal statute, which had previously been interpreted as providing broad protections to internet companies from virtually any type of claim. The briefing in the court of appeals is available here.