A federal appeals court has halted a judge’s order that organizers of FanX must pay a $4 million judgment and cease using the words “comic con.”
In a decision handed down on Tuesday afternoon, a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to block enforcement against Dan Farr Productions while an appeal went forward. A spokeswoman for the event said it was an 18-month extension, allowing them to hold several more events in the meantime.
Dan Farr Productions, which staged the event formerly known as Salt Lake Comic Con, was sued by organizers of San Diego Comic-Con in a trademark dispute over who can use the words “comic con.” A jury sided with San Diego and Salt Lake Comic Con has since renamed itself as “FanX.”
In court papers seeking relief, Dan Farr Productions argued that if it were forced to pay the multi-million dollar judgment, it feared bankruptcy and a negative impact to Utah’s economy. FanX is one of the state’s largest conventions, drawing in more than 100,000 people for the event.
San Diego Comic-Con also said in a separate court filing it did not object to a brief halt while the case proceeded.
Read the order here:
FanX 9th Circuit Court order.
