Apple has officially filed an opening merits brief with the US Supreme Court, seeking to overturn a contempt of court ruling related to its long-standing legal battle with Epic Games. The dispute stems from a 2020 lawsuit where a court found Apple's anti-steering rules violated California's Unfair Competition Law.
Following the initial ruling, a permanent injunction required Apple to allow developers to include external links and buttons for third-party payment methods. Apple subsequently updated its App Store rules, imposing a commission of up to 27 percent on transactions completed through external channels. Epic Games challenged this, leading the court to rule that Apple was in contempt of the injunction.
Apple argues that the original injunction did not explicitly prohibit the collection of commissions on external transactions. The company contends that civil contempt penalties should only apply when a court order clearly and unambiguously forbids specific conduct, rather than based on the subjective 'spirit' of an order.
The company criticized the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for allowing the 'spirit of the injunction' standard, warning that it risks judicial overreach. Apple maintains that if a court wishes to restrict new behaviors, it should modify the injunction rather than apply contempt sanctions retroactively.
The legal process continues with Epic Games required to file a response by November 13, followed by Apple's reply on December 14. The US Supreme Court could begin hearing the case as early as January 2027.
