Vulgar Trademarks Get U.S. Supreme Court Review in Speech Clash

Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to decide whether the federal government can refuse to grant legal protection to a trademark because officials find it to be vulgar or lewd.

Taking up a new free-speech clash, the justices will review a decision that struck down a century-old ban on federal protections for “scandalous” and “immoral” trademarks.