A federal judge on Wednesday ruled to cancel the Washington Redskins’ trademark registration, affirming a previous ruling that the team’s nickname is offensive to Native Americans. However, neither ruling stops the NFL franchise from using the name.
The federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board last year voted 2-1 that the team is ineligible for trademark protection because the term Redskins is considered disparaging.
The Redskins claimed the board’s actions infringed on its free-speech rights and sued in federal court, which led to Wednesday’s decision by U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee’s to uphold that ruling.
