Judge narrows Joby Aero claims against Archer Aviation

The United States District Court for the Northern District of California issued a ruling on September 29, 2026, that narrowed the legal claims Joby Aero, Inc. asserts against Archer Aviation Inc. and one of its employees. The decision was made in Case No. 5:25-cv-10703-SVK, a dispute previously disclosed by the company. Archer Aviation Inc. reported the development in a Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The court dismissed specific trade-secret and contract-related claims brought against Archer Aviation Inc. and the employee. In some instances, the judge granted leave to amend these dismissed claims, allowing the plaintiffs to refine their arguments. Other claims in the lawsuit were permitted to proceed without modification. The ruling effectively reduces the scope of the litigation against the eVTOL manufacturer while keeping core allegations active in the Northern District of California.

Archer Aviation Inc. also sought to counter Joby Aero, Inc. and Joby Aviation, Inc. The company filed counterclaims alleging violations of the Lanham Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law. The court dismissed these counterclaims without granting leave to amend, removing that portion of the legal battle from consideration. Aaron Goodman, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for Archer Aviation Inc., signed the report on October 2, 2026.

Archer Aviation Inc. is headquartered at 190 West Tasman Drive in San Jose, California. The company’s Class A common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ACHR. The firm is incorporated in Delaware and operates with an IRS Employer Identification Number of 85-2730902. The Form 8-K indicates that Archer Aviation Inc. is not currently designated as an emerging growth company for the purposes of extended transition periods on financial accounting standards.