The Supreme Court is taking up a First Amendment clash over the government’s refusal to register offensive trademarks, a case that could affect the Washington Redskins in their legal fight over the team name.
The justices agreed Thursday to hear a dispute involving an Asian-American rock band called the Slants, but they did not act on a separate request to hear the higher-profile Redskins case at the same time.
Still, a high court ruling in favor of the Slants could bolster the football team’s legal fight. Both groups argue that it is unconstitutional for the government to reject trademark rights for offensive speech.