Oprah Winfrey will have to defend in court her use of the phrase “Own Your Power” in her magazine and on her website, a US appeals court said yesterday.

Overturning a lower court ruling, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals revived claims brought by the owner of a motivational business who contends she owns a trademark.

The court said the plaintiffs have plausibly alleged Winfrey was trying to build a new segment of her empire around the phrase.