Judge Upholds Cancellation of Washington Redskins Trademarks

A federal district judge in Virginia on Wednesday rejected the Washington Redskins’ challenge to the cancellation of the football team’s trademarks as disparaging to Native Americans. Judge Gerald Bruce Lee upheld a previous finding by a patent and trademark administrative board that the trademarks violated federal law under the Lanham Act. The judge denied the team’s constitutional challenge to a section of federal trademark law that addresses disparaging language. Lee wrote that, although the court was canceling the team’s registration of the trademarks, the team was still free to use those marks. The Redskins plan to appeal the decision and will continue to use its trademark.