Published
October 13, 2025
Updated
August 4, 2026
The consolidated A.B. v. Salesforce case is stayed and administratively closed pending final adjudication of a related Backpage criminal case. No class settlement exists.
Allegations and Case Status
The complaints contain allegations that Salesforce denies. The stay is procedural, no liability finding has been entered, and no settlement or certified damages class is available.
What Is the Current Salesforce Backpage Case Status?
The Southern District of Texas stayed the consolidated civil case in October 2025 under a federal trafficking statute while a related criminal case against Backpage co-founder Michael Lacey remains pending. The court denied reconsideration on April 2, 2026 and directed counsel to report when the criminal case reaches final adjudication.Administrative closure is not a decision on the merits. The plaintiffs may ask to reactivate the case after the condition identified by the court is satisfied.
Status
Stayed
Administratively closed; may be reinstated
Latest Order
April 2, 2026
Reconsideration of the stay denied
Settlement
None
No claim form or payment process
What Do the Plaintiffs Allege?
The plaintiffs allege Salesforce knowingly benefited from providing software, marketing, data, and technical services that helped Backpage expand while Backpage was allegedly used for sex-trafficking advertisements. Salesforce disputes the allegations and its liability.What Did the Fifth Circuit Decide?
In December 2024, the Fifth Circuit held that Section 230 did not bar the claims at the summary-judgment stage because the asserted duties did not treat Salesforce as the publisher or speaker of third-party content. That ruling allowed the case to continue but did not decide whether Salesforce was liable.Why Is the Case Stayed?
The district court concluded that the governing statute requires a pause while a criminal action arising from the same alleged occurrence remains pending. The court identified United States v. Lacey as the remaining criminal matter that triggered the stay.Is There a Claim Form or Settlement?
No. The case has not produced a class settlement, court-approved notice, or public claim process. Any website promising a Salesforce Backpage settlement payment is not an official administrator for this litigation.Sources
• October 28, 2025 stay order, U.S. District Court• April 2, 2026 reconsideration order, U.S. District Court
• Fifth Circuit opinion in A.B. v. Salesforce
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Status
Stayed and administratively closed
Case
A.B. et al. v. Salesforce, Inc.
Case Number
4:20-cv-01254
Court
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
Claim Process
None approved
