U.S. Justices to Hear 'Offensive' Mark Case on Jan. 18

U.S. Justices to Hear 'Offensive' Mark Case on Jan. 18

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has slated oral arguments for Wednesday, Jan. 18., in a trademark case that should be of particular interest to adult business operators.

The high court earlier this year agreed to decide whether The Slants, an Asian American rock band from Portland, Ore, can trademark its name despite the federal government’s objection that it is an "offensive" term.

An appellate decision by U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit last year that ruled against the U.S Patent and Trademark Office in the case was not just a win for The Slants but for companies in the adult entertainment industry that might use rough-and-tumble jargon to describe their erotic products and services, as well.

U.S. justices now will provide guidance on whether disparaging terms can be registered as trademarks or whether refusing registration is a violation of First Amendment rights.

The decision for justices to hear the case invites a challenge to the "immoral and scandalous" clause for trademarks that most affects the adult entertainment industry, industry attorney Marc Randazza of Randazza Legal Group told XBIZ in September. Randazza last year authored an amicus brief in The Slants case on behalf of the First Amendment Lawyers Association.  

On Monday, The Slants tweeted: “We officially got the date: The Supreme Court will be hearing our case on Jan 18.” The band offered a Twitter link to fundraising site Generosity, where the group has set up a page to raise $10,000 for its legal case.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Lyric Sky Returns to Brazzers

Lyric Sky stars with Lawson Jones in the latest release from Brazzers.

OurDream.ai Debuts New Porn Generator

OurDream.ai, an AI porn-generating platform, has launched an upgraded version of its AI engine.

Andie Anderson Makes Her MILFY Debut

Andie Anderson has made her debut for Vixen Media Group studio imprint MILFY, alongside Isiah Maxwell and Hollywood Cash.

Bodispa Inks Distro Deal With Shunga

Bodispa has signed a distribution deal with Shunga Erotic Art.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches by Country for February, March

AEBN has released the list of popular searches from its straight and gay theaters by country in February and March.

EIS Acquires Willie.nl, Willie.be

German wellness group and Satisfyer parent company EIS has acquired Willie.nl and Willie.be.

Orion Expands Cottelli 'Fantasy' Line

Orion Wholesale has added four new lingerie sets to its Cottelli Fantasy collection.

Biird's 'Namii' Highlighted on Bustle

Bustle has featured Biird’s Namii in a roundup about clitoral stimulators.

Peachy Alice Fronts Latest From Immoral Productions

Peachy Alice stars in a new trilogy from Immoral Productions, alongside Charlie Dean, Matt Bird, and studio honcho “Porno Dan” Leal.

Blush Expands 'Aria' Collection With 4 New Vibes

Blush has introduced four upgraded versions of vibrators from its Aria collection.

Show More