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Redskins Score a Legal And Financial Victory
The Washington Redskins football franchise's logo and trademark protections were in jeopardy in a challenge thrown out yesterday.
(By Stephen Brashear -- Associated Press)
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"This is a significant win," said Robert Raskopf, a lawyer representing the Redskins. "It vindicates our position that the delay was far too long for reasonable consideration of the issues."
Philip Mause, a lawyer representing the Native Americans, said they would appeal the decision. "We're not happy," he said.
The trademark fight was launched in 1992, when the Native Americans filed a complaint on the use of six Redskins trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In 1999 the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board agreed with the activists and ruled that the team had no right to trademark its name. The team then appealed to U.S. District Court.
The fight is hardly over.
Six younger Native Americans, represented by Mause, filed a separate complaint with the trademark office in 2006.
Because the new batch of activists is younger, Mause says he believes they will be able to overcome the timing issue raised by Kollar-Kotelly.
"It's unfortunate that we are spending so much time going back and forth on this [delay] issue, because I believe the issue ultimately will have to be addressed on the merits," Mause said.
