ADT Rival Favored in $27M Alarm Trademark Suit

A federal jury found no evidence that Alarm Protection Technology infringed on ADT’s trademark logo.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A Florida federal jury has favored Alarm Protection Technology (APT) in a lawsuit filed by ADT that claimed the Utah-based alarm services provider infringed upon the residential security giant’s name and trademark.

ADT sued Alarm Protection Technology in 2012, claiming that its rival used deceptive door-to-door sales practices to get Florida consumers to sign new contracts with APT.

Additionally, ADT accused APT executive Adam Schanz of intentionally selecting the APT logo in order to infringe ADT’s trademark, Law360 reports.

RELATED: ADT Sues Imitators for Logo Infringement

In response to a preliminary injunction in the case, APT has changed its name to Alarm Protection.

In the lawsuit, ADT sought $27 million for 10 years’ worth of customers’ monthly payments, based on Alarm Protection’s automatically renewable five-year contracts.

RELATED: U.S. Court Sides With ADT on Infringed Patents

The jury disagreed that the former APT logo, which featured a security badge with the APT acronym and the company name spelled out, looked anything like ADT’s logo, which employs a blue and white logo in an octagon shape. Additionally, the acronym is in a different font than APT’s.

ADT representatives stated that the firm is disappointed with the outcome of the case, but will continue to pursue its other pending lawsuit against Alarm Protection’s alleged use of deceptive sales practices in door-to-door sales.

Meanwhile, Alarm Protection will pursue claims for about $1 million in attorneys’ fees as well as about $150,000 for a wrongful injunction.

Tell us what you think! Do you think the logos look similar? Leave your comments below.

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