Posts Tagged: "Iancu v. Brunetti"

How One TTAB Case Reveals Continued Examination Flaws Post-Tam and Brunetti

A case that is currently before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), Proceeding No. 92071980, is no run-of-the-mill cancellation petition. Elevated Faith LLC v. GODISGHL, LLC,  concerns the right to register religious symbols and exposes critical flaws in trademark examination; in some ways it might be considered a progeny of Matal v. Tam and Iancu v. Brunetti. Naturally, it also involves a celebrity.

Trademark Litigation Review—What Happened in 2019 and What to Watch This Year

Two things are true about the world of trademarks—it is rarely boring, and something is always on the horizon. The following are some of the significant trademark decisions of 2019, as well as two critical cases to watch as 2020 begins: 1. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Iancu v. Brunetti rejected the Lanham Act’s ban on offensive marks on the grounds that such a ban violates the First Amendment Right of Free Speech. The case involved clothing brand FUCT, which stands for “Friends You Can’t Trust,” and its founder, Erik Brunetti, who sought to register the brand’s name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The USPTO refused to register the name, determining it was immoral and scandalous. Brunetti argued to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) that the mark was not vulgar, and that Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act was unconstitutional because it violated the First Amendment. However, the TTAB affirmed the USPTO’s refusal and Brunetti appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC).

After Brunetti: The Trademark Bar Reacts to Fractured Decision

The Supreme Court issued its decision yesterday in Iancu v. Brunetti. As largely expected, the Court followed its own lead in Matal v. Tam and struck down the Lanham Act’s bar on “immoral or scandalous” trademarks as violating the First Amendment. Below are some insider perspectives on what the ruling means for brands and trademark practitioners going forward.

Supreme Court ‘FUCT’ Case Ends With a Bang: Ban on ‘Immoral or Scandalous’ Marks Fails First Amendment Scrutiny

The Lanham Act’s ban on federal registration of “immoral or scandalous” trademarks is unconstitutional under the First Amendment.  So held the United States Supreme Court on Monday, resoundingly, if a bit uneasily, in Iancu v. Brunetti.  It’s a good result, and one that the trademark bar and the free speech community had broadly urged, including Debevoise’s client, the International Trademark Association (INTA), in an amicus brief that we had the privilege of writing. 

This Week on Capitol Hill: SCOTUS Grants Cert in Two IP Cases and Strikes Down Bar on Immoral/ Scandalous Marks; Plus, AI in Counterterrorism and Fintech, Copyright Office Oversight

This week on Capitol Hill and vicinity, the Supreme Court issues its decision in Iancu v. Brunetti and issues orders in several other IP cases. Meanwhile, various House committees will explore the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband Internet coverage maps, state and local government cybersecurity issues, voting technologies, fintech, federal agency IT acquisition and artificial intelligence. Senate committee hearings this week will look at emerging technologies in surface transportation, the persuasive effects of machine learning in Internet platforms as well as a pair of drug patent bills. Elsewhere, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation hosts an event looking at the effect of global trade tensions on technology supply chains and the Brookings Institution considers the potential of privacy legislation to address concerns with digital information-sharing systems.