AMC Thwarts Liberty Tax’s Trademark Suit Over ‘Better Call Saul’

The fictional tax service “Sweet Liberty Tax” in AMC Networks Inc.'s television show “Better Call Saul” doesn’t infringe Liberty Tax’s trademark, a New York federal court said.

JTH Tax LLC, which operates as Liberty Tax, failed to overcome a First Amendment test for trademarks in expressive works that was recently cabined, but not rejected, by the US Supreme Court, the US District Court for the Southern District of New York said Monday. AMC’s use of a similar name passed the test because it had artistic relevance and wasn’t explicitly misleading, the court said as it dismissed the case.

The dismissal ...