The United States Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the Washington Redskins trademark case, denying the petition for review before a lower court had a chance to rule on the matter.
The Redskins were appealing a decision to cancel its trademarks over concerns the name disparages American Indians. Federal law prohibits trademarks on racial slurs.
The team will not lose the trademark until appeals have run their course through the legal system, but they can still be allowed to use the “Redskins” nickname if they seek protection under state law.
In June 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office canceled six federal trademark registrations for the Redskins, saying the nickname is “disparaging to Native Americans” and cannot be trademarked under federal law that prohibits trademark protection on offensive or disparaging language.