Travelweb Prevails In Injunction Hearing Against Orbitz
03-31-2004
CHICAGO, March 31, 2004 - Circuit Court Judge Richard Billik today entered a Memorandum Opinion, awarding a preliminary injunction in favor of Travelweb LLC and against Orbitz, LLC, in a battle between website travel providers. A copy of the Memorandum Opinion is attached.
The injunction prohibits Orbitz, one of the largest online travel sites, from refusing to display Travelweb hotel rooms on the Orbitz website, as required by a January 2002 agreement between the parties, and prevents Orbitz from terminating the agreement pursuant to a prior Notice of Default. The preliminary injunction also prohibits Orbitz from soliciting hotels and hotel chains to sell their rooms on the Orbitz website if those hotels and chains already have agreements with Travelweb.
During the hearing, counsel for Travelweb, Eric N. Macey and Michael A. Weinberg of Novack and Macey LLP, presented evidence that Orbitz failed to honor its obligations under the January 2002 agreement. Under that agreement, Travelweb provides Orbitz with hotel room inventory for display on the Orbitz website. Travelweb claims Orbitz refused to display all of Travelweb’s hotel inventory and attempted to make its own deals with Travelweb hotels in violation of the agreement.
Cook County Judge Richard J. Billik issued the preliminary injunction after taking evidence over the course of three months. Judge Billik’s order is set to stay in effect until further order of court.
Macey said Judge Billik’s ruling “preserves Travelweb’s rights under the agreement until a full trial is completed. Orbitz can no longer refuse to display Travelweb rooms on its website, and try to force Travelweb out of business.” The court’s order will protect Travelweb while the case continues to be litigated. Orbitz became a publicly traded company in December 2003.
Macey and Weinberg are partners at Novack and Macey LLP, a law firm the Chicago Tribune called “a high-power litigation boutique” and the Sun Times described as “a small firm known for a bulldog manner in litigation.” Founded in 1984, Novack and Macey LLP is a litigation firm that concentrates on complex commercial cases. The firm has successfully represented clients in a wide variety of business disputes, including matters involving banking, contracts, class actions, energy, RICO, securities, real estate, partnerships and close corporations, antitrust, insurance coverage, environmental matters, business torts and employment-related issues. Novack and Macey LLP attorneys have honed their skills in courtrooms, mediations and arbitrations nationwide. Clients have included corporations, institutions, investment ventures, partnerships and individuals, as well as the United States government. For further information about this case, please contact Eric Macey, Esq. at 312-419-6900, by e-mail at emacey@novackandmacey.com.
The injunction prohibits Orbitz, one of the largest online travel sites, from refusing to display Travelweb hotel rooms on the Orbitz website, as required by a January 2002 agreement between the parties, and prevents Orbitz from terminating the agreement pursuant to a prior Notice of Default. The preliminary injunction also prohibits Orbitz from soliciting hotels and hotel chains to sell their rooms on the Orbitz website if those hotels and chains already have agreements with Travelweb.
During the hearing, counsel for Travelweb, Eric N. Macey and Michael A. Weinberg of Novack and Macey LLP, presented evidence that Orbitz failed to honor its obligations under the January 2002 agreement. Under that agreement, Travelweb provides Orbitz with hotel room inventory for display on the Orbitz website. Travelweb claims Orbitz refused to display all of Travelweb’s hotel inventory and attempted to make its own deals with Travelweb hotels in violation of the agreement.
Cook County Judge Richard J. Billik issued the preliminary injunction after taking evidence over the course of three months. Judge Billik’s order is set to stay in effect until further order of court.
Macey said Judge Billik’s ruling “preserves Travelweb’s rights under the agreement until a full trial is completed. Orbitz can no longer refuse to display Travelweb rooms on its website, and try to force Travelweb out of business.” The court’s order will protect Travelweb while the case continues to be litigated. Orbitz became a publicly traded company in December 2003.
Macey and Weinberg are partners at Novack and Macey LLP, a law firm the Chicago Tribune called “a high-power litigation boutique” and the Sun Times described as “a small firm known for a bulldog manner in litigation.” Founded in 1984, Novack and Macey LLP is a litigation firm that concentrates on complex commercial cases. The firm has successfully represented clients in a wide variety of business disputes, including matters involving banking, contracts, class actions, energy, RICO, securities, real estate, partnerships and close corporations, antitrust, insurance coverage, environmental matters, business torts and employment-related issues. Novack and Macey LLP attorneys have honed their skills in courtrooms, mediations and arbitrations nationwide. Clients have included corporations, institutions, investment ventures, partnerships and individuals, as well as the United States government. For further information about this case, please contact Eric Macey, Esq. at 312-419-6900, by e-mail at emacey@novackandmacey.com.