Missouri Supreme Court says Conversion of Domain Name is Recoverable

Result: $50,000 plus interest at 9% for nearly 10-years (approx. $89,000.00 recovered for client); created new cause of action in Missouri for Conversion of Domain Name

Facts: In December 2011, our client’s internet service provider (“ISP”) and barter arrangement partner seized control of client’s internet websites and the underlying domain names. Despite the historical ownership of the domain names by our client, the ISP refused to return the valuable names to our client. Over the course of nearly ten years of hard-fought litigation, our client prevailed at trial. Our opponents appealed the Trial court’s judgment to the Southern District Court of Appeals, who affirmed the judgment of the Trial court and recognized the new cause of action in Missouri for Conversion of an Internet Domain Name. Thereafter, the Supreme Court, in summary fashion approved the result reached by the Southern District Court of Appeals in denying transfer of the case and implicitly. For references, see Missouri Ozarks Radio Network, Inc. v. Baugh, et al., 598 S.W.3d 154 (Mo. Ct. App. 2020) (transfer denied Apr. 28, 2020).