Court Rules Against Kleiman's Claim Over Bitcoin Mining Rights in Wright Appeals Case

The legal battle over Bitcoin ownership between Craig Wright and the estate of David Kleiman has reached a significant milestone. According to reporting by CoinDesk via Foresight News, Wright has secured a favorable ruling in his appeals proceedings, with the court rejecting claims that half of the mined Bitcoin should be transferred to Kleiman’s representatives.

The Core Dispute

At the center of this long-running litigation was a straightforward assertion from Kleiman’s legal team: since both men allegedly worked together in early Bitcoin mining operations, the digital assets generated should be split equally. The lawyer representing Kleiman’s estate maintained that this partnership entitlement justified transferring a substantial portion of Wright’s holdings to the deceased’s heirs.

Court’s Decision

However, the jury sided with Wright in the appeals process, determining that no formal mining collaboration existed between the two parties. This verdict effectively dismantles Kleiman’s foundational argument that their relationship constituted a business partnership deserving profit-sharing arrangements. The decision protects Wright’s claimed Bitcoin holdings from being subject to division based on alleged cooperative mining activities.

Implications for the Case

This appeals outcome represents a turning point in a dispute that has spanned years of legal proceedings. By establishing through the courts that no operating partnership can be proven, Wright’s position regarding his Bitcoin ownership claims has been substantially strengthened. The ruling sets a precedent that undocumented or unproven collaborative arrangements cannot serve as grounds for retroactive asset claims in digital asset disputes.