Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media starts defense of bankruptcy case in Dallas court

Two and a half months after a Fort Worth-based media startup backed by celebrity psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw abruptly shuttered and filed for bankruptcy protections, a highly anticipated legal hearing expected to decide the fate of the venture’s Chapter 11 petition began Monday at a federal courthouse in downtown Dallas. Based on attorneys’ opening statements, the trial, like the high-stakes financial drama it aims to resolve, will be contentious. “This case was not filed in good faith,” said Mark Moore, a Dallas-based lawyer representing Trinity Broadcasting Network, McGraw’s former distribution...