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Supreme Court turns away Redskins appeal in trademark case

Supreme Court turns away Redskins appeal in trademark case

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In this photo taken Aug. 7, 2014, the Washington Redskins logo is seen on the field before an NFL football preseason game against the New England Patriots in Landover, Md. Lawyers for the Washington Redskins are telling a judge that the team's free-speech rights are being infringed by a federal panel's decision to cancel the team's trademarks for being disparaging to Native Americans. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
In this photo taken Aug. 7, 2014, the Washington Redskins logo is seen on the field before an NFL football preseason game against the New England Patriots in Landover, Md.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON  — The Supreme Court has rejected a long-shot appeal from the Washington Redskins challenging a law that bars offensive trademarks. But the justices could still resolve the same issue in another case the court took up last week.

The court on Monday turned away an unusual request to hear the team’s case even before a federal appeals court has weighed in. The Redskins are appealing the government’s decision to cancel its trademarks over concerns the name disparages American Indians.

In a separate case, the justices will decide whether the trademark law violates the First Amendment. That case involves The Slants, an Asian-American rock band that was denied a trademark on the ground that it disparages Asians.

A federal appeals court sided with the band. The Redskins wanted both cases heard together.

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