The no-nonsense judge calling the shots in Musk v Altman trial is no stranger to high-stakes cases. As the nine-person jury considers the outcome of this $150bn lawsuit, there's little doubt who's steering the ship.
Musk accuses Altman and OpenAI of breaching a charitable trust and unjust enrichment over OpenAI’s decision to create a for-profit arm in 2019. But Judge Gonzalez Rogers is quick to quell Musk’s attempts to act as his own lawyer, reminding him: ‘Let's remind everyone in the courtroom that you are not a lawyer.’
‘It does make an interesting juxtaposition,’ says Behringer, noting how Musk, used to being on top, faces off against someone who is clearly in charge. Gonzalez Rogers has a track record of handling some of the most complex and high-profile cases involving big tech companies.
From overseeing multi-district litigation against Meta, Snap, TikTok and Google for social media addiction lawsuits, to dealing with an antitrust case between Epic Games and Apple, her courtroom is a tight ship. Her strict schedule and warm manner towards jurors alike make it clear who’s in control – and that includes the world's richest man.
