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Supreme Court Strikes Down Law Prohibiting Disparaging Trademarks

HeadlineJun 20, 2017

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also ruled Monday against a federal law that rejects trademark protections for disparaging names. The case is expected to benefit the Washington football team whose name, the R-dsk-ns, is a racist slur against Native Americans. The ruling was based on a case of an Asian-American rock group called “The Slants.” The group tried to register their band name in 2011, but it was rejected because officials said the name was disparaging to people of Asian descent. Rock band member Simon Tam has said his case was hijacked by the courts. Washington football team owner Daniel Snyder celebrated the Supreme Court ruling Monday. He’s faced years of resistance by Native American activists demanding he change the team’s name.

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