Court Sides With Paris Hilton in Hallmark Fight

An appeals court has ruled that Paris Hilton can continue pursuing a lawsuit against Hallmark Cards Inc. over the use of her picture and catch phrase "That's hot" on a greeting card.

Hilton sued the company in 2007 after it began selling without her permission birthday cards of a cartoon of a waitress serving a plate of food to a patron. A photo of Hilton's face was pasted on the cartoon's body.

Hilton alleges that the card ripped off her appearance as a waitress in an episode of her reality television show "The Simple Life."

The 9th U.S. District Court of Appeals on Monday upheld a lower court's ruling allowing the bulk of Hilton's lawsuit. Hallmark has defended the card as parody, which is normally protected under fair-use law.

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Britney! Paris! Lindsay!
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: Paris Hilton Talks Documentary & Misconceptions
PLAY IT NOW: Paris Hilton: Sex Tape Scandal Was 'Big Learning Lesson' (July 28, 2009)

MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Paris Hilton - Courts - News - Reality TV - TV

Copyright NBCAH - Access Hollywood
Contact Us