Court Rejects Summary Judgment Motions in HGTV Trademark Row
A federal judge on Friday rejected Warner Bros. Discovery's attempt to have a trademark infringement suit against its HGTV network tossed. Judge Richard Andrews of the U.S. District Court for Delaware denied the company's motion for summary judgment (docket 1:22-cv-01583).…
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He also denied a summary judgment motion by plaintiff HomeVestors of America seeking dismissal of Warner Bros.' First Amendment defense and its defense under the legal Rogers test, which weighs trademark rights versus First Amendment protections. HomeVestors, a home-buying company, sued Warner Bros. over HGTV's Ugliest House in America show, claiming it violated HomeVestors' trademarks for "We Buy Ugly Houses," "the Ugliest House of the Year" and "Ugly House?" The trial is set to begin Aug. 25.