Month: April 2016

The Slants

USPTO Appeals to the Supreme Court Over “Slants”.

An appeal to the United States Supreme Court is the latest move in an ongoing battle between the Asian-American band “The Slants” and the USPTO over whether the band’s name is disparaging and should be granted trademark registration or not. After a panel of Federal Appeals Court judges reversed the Trademark Office’s decision rejecting the mark, the Office has now appealed to the highest court in the land in an effort to allow it to retain discretion over whether some marks are too offensive for registration. Time will now tell whether the Supreme Court will accept the case and continue its increasingly active role in intellectual property law.

Continue reading “USPTO Appeals to the Supreme Court Over “Slants”.”

Indiana Bakeries Square off Over Square Donuts

Donuts have never suffered from a popularity issue. With high demand, supply typically rises to match. And as the competition intensifies, bakeries look for ways to innovate and separate themselves from the pack.

One way that a Terra Haute, Indiana bakery has done so is by going against the norm and producing a square shaped donut. While the square shape may have been original, the name it chose to call these donuts was not. The bakery called itself and the donuts it produced, “Square Donuts.” This lack of originality has led to a trademark dispute with another unimaginative bakery in Valparaiso, Indiana, that is also attempting to call its cornered donuts “square donuts.” Continue reading “Indiana Bakeries Square off Over Square Donuts”

Jaws Still Too Famous To Share Trademark Space With a Cooking Show

If you were around in the 1970s when Jaws was first released, you probably thought twice about going into the ocean after seeing the thriller. Even younger generations recognize the iconic shark and have a little fear in the back of their minds. Despite or maybe because of the fear Jaws incited, the movie was a box office hit, becoming the first movie to surpass $100 million in domestic theater ticket sales. With wide viewership and an impact on beach-going behavior, Jaws left its mark on American culture. But that was 40 years ago. Is that culture legacy still relevant? According to the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board, the answer is yes. Continue reading “Jaws Still Too Famous To Share Trademark Space With a Cooking Show”