Opinion ID: 1274444
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Filing of Action and Stipulation

Text: On December 7, 2006, TWC filed this action charging DIRECTV with, inter alia, false advertising in violation of § 43(a) of the Lanham Act. 15 U.S.C. § 1114, et seq. Initial negotiations led to the execution of a stipulation, in which DIRECTV agreed that pending final resolution of the action, it would stop running the original versions of the Simpson and Shatner commercials and also disable the link on the banner advertisements that routed customers to the HDTV page of its website. DIRECTV further stipulated that it would not claim in any advertisement, either directly or by implication, that the picture quality presently offered by DIRECTV's HDTV service is superior to the picture offered presently by Time Warner Cable's HDTV service, or the present HDTV services of cable television providers in general. Finally, DIRECTV agreed that any breach of the stipulation would result in irreparable harm to TWC. The stipulation contained the caveat, however, that nothing in it shall be construed to be a finding on the merits of this action. The District Court entered an order on the stipulation on December 12, 2006.