A federal judge has just ruled against the Washington Redskins in the ongoing legal battle over the team’s name.
In a 70-page decision, Judge Gerald Bruce Lee ruled the United States Patent and Trademark Office is ordered to cancel the Redskins' trademark. A trademark would protect the Redskins against individuals who wish to copy the brand. This upholds a previous ruling by the USPTO's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
The center of the controversy surrounding the Redskins name, and the basis of Lee’s decision, is that the name “Redskins” is seen as disparaging towards Native Americans. According to the Lanham Act, a trademark may be denied if a name “may disparage” a group of people.
The Washington Post reports that the judge’s decision will not be put into effect until the Redskins have finished going through the federal appeals process. The team can still use its name and seek trademark protections on a state level.
A Redskins spokesperson told the Washington Post the team is considering legal options to appeal the decision.