The Richmond Times reports that the US Court of Appeals is hearing an appeal in the Washington Redskins case. Four national associations of Native Americans, together with original claimant Suzan Shown Harjo are bringing the action, following the District Court’s decision to overturn a USPTO ruling that cancelled the Redskins’ trade marks. The Native Americans claim that any if the mark disparaged any other ethnic group, it would be remove from the register post haste. However, the Redskins argue that at the time the marks were granted, in 1967, they did not bear an offensive meaning.
Will it the hats off to the Court of Appeals?
The IPKat says that even if the mark wasn’t offensive at the time it was registered, he can’t understand why anyone would want to use it if it is offensive now.
The Washington Redskins here
A bit of the debate here
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US REDSKINS CASE GOES INTO EXTRA TIME
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Monday, April 11, 2005
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