Real Networks is suing a former employee alleging theft of source code, according to court filings seen by the Seattle Times.

Lockstream hired Chad Storey, a team leader at Real, late last year. By doing so, alleges Real, Storey broke an agreement not to work for a competitor for twelve months after leaving Real. Lockstream maintains that had been working on similar technology long before hiring Storey.

Real has already won a restraining order against Storey and Lockstream, preventing the latter from destroying code Storey worked on, the Seattle Times reports (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/SeattleTimes.woa/wa/gotoArticle?zsection_id=268448455&text_only=0&slug=realnetworks14&document_id=134274339). A Lockstream spokesman confirmed that Lockstream had been working on the disputed technology prior to Storey's arrival, but couldn't comment on specifics. ®