Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court denied cert in a trademark case regarding the Washington Redskins. According to The Christian Science Monitor:

“Lawyers for the native Americans say the name was disparaging and offensive in 1967 and that the trademark should never have been issued. They argued that the law permits them to bring a disparagement lawsuit at any time. An appeals board at the U.S. trademark office agreed with the native Americans that the term ‘redskins’ is today and has historically been a disparaging racial epithet. But that decision was overturned by a federal judge and the Washington-based appeals court in subsequent rulings that the group had waited too long [25 years] to bring its challenge.”

Given how things have gone for the ‘Skins this year, the team’s name is the least of their worries.

FWIW, here’s the Supreme Court November 16 order list. See page 3, Harjo, Suzan S., et al. v. Pro-Football, Inc. (09-326).

Submitted by: Dan Giancaterino, Education Services Manager
on November 17, 2009 - 2:22 pm

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