Federal Judge Blocks NOTUS From Launching Renamed Website Due to Trademark Infringement Case

The Washington Star has won a court victory in a trademark lawsuit over the legendary paper’s name.A federal judge in Virginia has temporarily blocked the rebranded launch of the Washington-centric website, NOTUS, as The Star.The publisher of The Washington Star and The New York Sun, Dovid Efune, is suing NOTUS for trademark infringement. District Judge Rossie Alston said there would likely be market confusion with the similar names.Mr. Efune welcomed the judge’s decision. “This ruling reinforces our focus on what matters most: reviving a legendary American institution and returning a much needed voice in our nation’s capital,” Mr. Efune said in a statement.The limited temporary injunction comes weeks after NOTUS announced the rebrand to try to capture local market share from the Washington Post after recent staff cuts.Judge Alston noted that publicity around the renaming referred to the name as “a nod to The Washington Star.” NOTUS founder Robert Allbritton’s father, Joe, once owned the paper.Judge Alston also said that NOTUS was aware of the trademark because it failed in an attempt to purchase rights to it earlier this year.The Washington Star has been publishing on Substack. Mr. Efune says a new custom website for The Washington Star will launch soon, and he plans to expand to offering a weekend print newspaper by the end of the year. The New York Sun added a weekly print addition last year to its daily website publication.“We stand on the shoulders of The Washington Star’s historic legacy. We’ve also invested significant resources into redeveloping its brand and bringing it into the modern era,” Mr. Efune said.The Washington Star scored a scoop Tuesday as the country celebrates its 250th birthday. The Star’s Kelly Jane Torrance reported on evidence that undermines NBC News’ claims that generators used at a Freedom 250 event on the National Mall spilled more than 30 gallons of fuel, putting underground cisterns that collect rainwater in peril.Judge Alston has scheduled a hearing on July 22 to decide on issuing a longer-term injunction in the lawsuit against NOTUS.

Federal Judge Blocks NOTUS From Launching Renamed Website Due to Trademark Infringement Case

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