Washington NFL Team Dealt Major Defeat In Battle Over Mascot (xpost from LBN)
Source: TPM
A Virginia judge ordered Wednesday that the Washington Redskins trademark registrations be cancelled the biggest legal defeat the team has suffered in its two-decade battle over its name.
The ruling ends a legal saga that began when the team filed a lawsuit to contest the U.S. Patent and Trademark Offices decision to end the teams trademark registration, including the red-faced mascot viewed as racially offensive to Native Americans.
A trademark appeals board later affirmed the decision to end the teams registered holdings, saying the name is not legally protected because it is racially offensive, the Washington Post reported.
Jesse Witten, an attorney for the five Native Americans involved in the lawsuit against the team, called the ruling a watershed event and major victory in the Post. A appeal from the Redskins is likely, and the cancellation wont officially take effect until the end of the appeals process.
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Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/washington-redskins-mascot-trademarks-cancelled
h/t DonViejo