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ARTICLE · 12 NOVEMBER 2024

Text Message Spoliation: Auto-Delete Setting May Lead To Legal Sanctions

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Pending in the Southern District of Ohio, Safelite Group, Inc., v Nathaniel Lockridge et. al. reminds counsel of the importance of being active in the preservation process and reminds litigants...

United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Kathryn C. Cole
Kathryn C. Cole

Pending in the Southern District of Ohio, Safelite Group, Inc., v Nathaniel Lockridge et. al.reminds counsel of the importance of being active in the preservation process and reminds litigants of the importance of preserving text messages.

Background

Nationwide auto glass repair and replacement provider Safelite Group, Inc. employed defendant Nathaniel Lockridge, and in 2020 reassigned him to a store manager position at a Tucson, Arizona location. Upset by this change, Lockridge contacted a former colleague, defendant Jeffrey Nowak, to inquire about joining Safelite competitor Caliber Collision Centers, a body shop that had expanded its collision services to include auto glass repair and replacement.

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