Ken Burns-Affiliated Nonprofit Wins ‘Angels’ Trademark Case (1)

A nonprofit affiliated with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, the Better Angels Society, won a trademark infringement case against another nonprofit group using “Better Angels” for its bipartisan political efforts.

The average consumer is likely to confuse the Institute for American Values’ “Better Angels” initiative with the Better Angels Society, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York said Nov. 15.

The case shows that the need to defend trademark rights extends to charitable nonprofits so that consumers know what organization they’re supporting.

The Better Angels Society was founded to promote films by Burns and other filmmakers, and ...