Federal Judge Cancels 'Redskin' Trademark

A federal judge in Northern Virginia this week upheld an earlier ruling by the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, cancelling the federal trademark for the National Football League’s Redskins team. Last year the Trademark Board declared, in a 2-to-1 vote, that the team name is offensive to Native Americans, and therefore under the Lanham Act it is ineligible for federal trademark registry. The Redskins organization argued that the ruling violates its First Amendment right to free speech, and it is likely to appeal.