Judge Blocks NOTUS Rebrand as The Star Until July 22 in Trademark Fight
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 2
Judge Blocks NOTUS Rebrand as The Star Until July 22 in Trademark Fight
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 2
A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily barred NOTUS from rebranding as The Star or The Washington Star and from launching a new domain tied to the name.
Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. said the order was needed to prevent public confusion while The Washington Star’s owner pursues a trademark infringement case in federal court.
The ruling followed Dovid Efune’s suit alleging readers were already mixing up the two outlets; the judge also noted both target Washington readers with similar coverage.
NOTUS, launched in 2023 by Politico co-founder Robert Allbritton, had planned an early-June expansion into local news and sports, while Efune revived The Washington Star on Substack last week.
The dispute lands as both outlets try to gain ground in Washington after The Washington Post cut more than 300 jobs and reduced coverage; the next hearing is set for July 22.