10 Year Legal Battle Ends With $175 Million Verdict for Susman Godfrey
A San Antonio, Texas jury has awarded $175 million in damages to HouseCanary Inc., a technology company specializing in real estate valuation tools, after finding that Amrock Inc. (now known as Rocket Close LLC), a subsidiary of Rocket Companies, misappropriated HouseCanary’s trade secrets and defrauded the company in violation of contractual and confidentiality agreements.
The verdict, delivered on March 6, 2026, is the result of a nearly four‑week trial in the Bexar County Courthouse in San Antonio, where jurors considered evidence that Amrock unlawfully accessed and used HouseCanary’s proprietary technology — including its automated valuation models (AVMs) and other real estate analytics — to develop competing products.
HouseCanary originally entered into business agreements with Amrock in 2013 and 2015 that granted the latter access to its technology and data under strict non‑disclosure and software license terms. The contracts expressly prohibited Amrock from reverse‑engineering or using HouseCanary’s proprietary information to build similar tools. However, the jury concluded that Amrock violated these terms and acted with malicious and fraudulent intent by secretly leveraging HouseCanary’s analytics and failing to uphold its contractual obligations.
This verdict represents the second jury finding in HouseCanary’s favor on claims that its trade secrets were stolen by Amrock. The San Antonio jury’s decision follows a decade‑long legal battle dating back to the original lawsuit filed in 2016. That lawsuit resulted in a record $706 million verdict in 2018, which was later overturned by the Fourth Court of Appeals in Texas in 2020 due to issues with how the original trial was conducted. The reversal sent the case back for a retrial on the trade secret and related claims.
During the 2026 retrial, HouseCanary’s legal team — led by partners from the firm Susman Godfrey LLP — demonstrated that Amrock had not only accessed confidential data but also made promises to HouseCanary that it never intended to keep, all while secretly building competitive valuation technology. Amrock’s defense challenged these allegations, arguing that HouseCanary’s claims were inflated and that its products were not as functional or valuable as presented. The company has signaled its intention to appeal the latest verdict, similar to its prior challenges.
The $175 million award may also be adjusted as prejudgment interest and attorney fees are applied, potentially increasing the total amount owed. The jury’s findings went beyond simple misappropriation; they also included the determination that HouseCanary had been defrauded by Amrock, reflecting the deceit involved in Amrock’s conduct. Effective enforcement of trade secret protections is central to encouraging innovation and fairness in technology markets, and this case underscores the high stakes involved when agreements between companies are breached.
Observers note that this retrial and its outcome have broader implications for how companies handle access to proprietary technology, especially in industries where data and analytics confer significant competitive advantages. By reaffirming that contractual and confidentiality protections are binding and enforceable, the jury verdict sends a strong message about the risks companies face when they misuse or misappropriate another firm’s intellectual property.
The legal dispute has spanned more than a decade and highlights how complex intellectual property litigation can become when it involves cutting‑edge analytics and data. HouseCanary, which developed its valuation tools through years of research and investment, saw this verdict as validation of its technological innovation and the value of its trade secrets. Meanwhile, Amrock’s continued appeals reflect ongoing disagreement over the scope and validity of those claims — a dynamic that could lead to further rounds of litigation or settlement negotiations.
Ultimately, the $175 million jury award represents both a significant legal and financial win for HouseCanary and a cautionary tale for companies that might be tempted to exploit contractual access to valuable trade secrets without respect for intellectual property rights.
Key Social Outcomes
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A jury affirmed that HouseCanary’s trade secrets were misappropriated and that Amrock fraudulently used proprietary technology.
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The verdict reinforces the enforceability of intellectual property agreements in technology and data markets.
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Long‑running litigation highlights the risks and uncertainties of high‑stakes commercial disputes between tech firms.
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The decision may influence how companies structure confidentiality and licensing contracts in the future.
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The award underscores the value of proprietary data and analytics in real estate tech industries.
Why It Matters
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It protects innovation by holding companies accountable for abusing access to competitors’ trade secrets.
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The verdict may deter other firms from misusing confidential data acquired through contracts.
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Reinforces legal precedent that trade secret theft and fraud carry substantial financial penalties.
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Highlights the importance of clear, enforceable confidentiality agreements in tech partnerships.
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Encourages companies to invest in protecting their intellectual property and asserting their rights in court.
