Native Americans join litigation over trademark

By Alex Guzman  |   Monday, April 11, 2005  |  Comments( 1 )

Washington Redskins
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Several Native American organizations have joined the efforts to revoke the Washington Redskins' trademark name. They claim the moniker is an offensive reference to millions of American Indians.

4 national groups joined Suzan Shown Harjo, who first sued the team in 1992. The Washington, DC resident won the first round in 1999 when a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office panel canceled the Redskins' trademarks. However, a federal judge reversed that decision in 2004.

For 40 years the team operated without a trademark on its name, and it could go on using the name without a trademark, said Judge A. Raymond Randolph. Trademarks allow the team to control distribution of team merchandise, and Randolph said the consequence of revoking the trademark could be a proliferation of Redskins apparel.

A 3 judge panel is expected to issue a decision before their current term ends this July.
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