Archer Aviation lawsuit narrowed, but Joby’s core claims survive

Archer is still in the commercialization race for Midnight, its electric vertical-takeoff aircraft, working through certification, manufacturing scale-up, and planned initial passenger operations. The ruling is a legal setback, not an operating one. The court dismissed Archer’s counterclaims against Joby under the Lanham Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law without leave to amend, eliminating Archer’s affirmative claims in this case. 〔0〕 The larger dispute remains alive. The court narrowed Joby’s claims against Archer and an employee, but allowed other trade-secret and contract-related claims to proceed, with amendment permitted in some instances. 〔1〕 That keeps potential litigation cost, distraction, and reputational exposure in the background while Archer is trying to execute on certification and production milestones; the order is procedural and does not establish liability. Bottom line: Archer lost its own counterclaims while failing to remove the core legal threat. It does not change Midnight’s certification or manufacturing trajectory today, but it leaves an unresolved dispute hanging over the commercialization story.