A federal judge has ordered the cancellation of the Washington Redskins trademark registrations according to the Washington Post.
The cancellation doesn’t go into effect until the Redskins have exhausted the appeals process in the federal court system. But even if the Redskins ultimately took the case to the Supreme Court and lost, the team can still use “Redskins” and seek trademark protections under state law. The team has argued, however, that a cancellation of its trademarks could taint its brand and remove legal benefits that would protect against copycat entrepreneurs.
U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee’s decision affirmed an earlier ruling by the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board that voted and deemed the team’s moniker offensive to Native Americans and therefore ineligible under the Lanham Act for status in the federal trademark registry.
A Washington Redskins spokesperson said the team is reviewing the decision and considering its legal options.