As a surprise to many, the Washington Redskins recently announced that it will be changing its 87-year old name. This decision comes after recent events that sparked nationwide discussions about race and caused various corporate sponsors to exert pressure on the Redskins’ organization. But it also comes after years of the Redskins fighting to protect
Fourth Circuit Finally Rules on Washington Redskins Trademark Case
In what may be the final installment of a series of blog posts related to the Lanham Act’s disparaging trademark ban and its effect on the Washington Redskins’ trademarks, the Fourth Circuit finally issued a decision in the Redskins’ case. When the United States Supreme Court ruled last June in a case involving the Slants
SCOTUS Strikes Down Disparaging Trademark Ban
This morning, the United States Supreme Court issued its long-anticipated ruling in the Lee v. Tam (now designated Matal v. Tam) trademark dispute involving the rock band, The Slants. As detailed in an earlier blog post, the legal issue faced by the Supreme Court was whether section 2(a) of the Lanham Act, which
Anticipated Oral Argument Finally Heard
This morning, the United States Supreme Court heard the long-anticipated oral argument in the Lee v. Tam trademark dispute. The issue in the case, as reported on the SCOTUS blog, is as follows:
“Whether the disparagement provision of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1052(a), which provides that no trademark shall be refused registration on
Disparaging Trademark Dispute Heats Up Before Supreme Court
The ongoing battle before the United States Supreme Court regarding the ability to register disparaging trademarks, prior details of which can be found in earlier blog posts here, here, and here, is heating up with a recent flurry of amicus brief filings. Earlier this month, the USPTO filed its opening brief in
SCOTUS Will Not Hear Redskins’ Trademark Dispute
Today the Supreme Court announced that it will not hear the Washington Redskins’ trademark dispute, despite the fact that the Supreme Court announced last week that it will hear the related trademark dispute involving the rock band, The Slants. As referenced in an earlier blog post, the Washington Redskins filed a request last spring
SCOTUS Will Hear The Slants’ Trademark Dispute
This morning, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari to hear the trademark dispute involving the rock band, The Slants. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) previously denied The Slants’ trademark registration on the basis of section 2(a) of the Lanham Act,
Will the Redskins Lose Their Trademarked Name?
There has been much debate and discussion over whether the Redskins—Washington D.C.’s professional football team in the National Football League—should voluntarily change their name under the view that it disparages Native Americans. In May, the Washington Post reported that a poll of Native Americans across the country found that nine in ten Native Americans are