Curbs on Disparaging Trademarks Thrown Out by Top U.S. Court

The U.S. Supreme Court said the federal government can’t constitutionally withhold legal protections for trademarks seen as disparaging, throwing out a 70-year-old provision as a free-speech violation (Matal v. Tam, Lee v. Tam, U.S., 15-1293, 6/19/17).

The June 19 ruling was unanimous, although the court splintered in its reasoning. The decision is a victory for an Asian-American dance-rock band called The Slants. The ruling could help professional football’s Washington Redskins, which have been engaged in a similar dispute over claims that the team’s name is a racial slur.

Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder said in an emailed statement ...