IANCU v. BRUNETTI
Supreme Court Cases
588 U.S. ___ (2019)
Case Overview
Action
"The Lanham Act’s prohibition on registration of “immoral[ ] or scandalous” trademarks violates the First Amendment." The vote was 9-0 on the “immoral” issue and 6-3 on the “scandalous” issue.
Facts/Syllabus
"Respondent Erik Brunetti sought federal registration of the trademark FUCT. The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) denied his application under a provision of the Lanham Act that prohibits registration of trademarks that “[c]onsist[ ] of or comprise[ ] immoral[ ] or scandalous matter,” 15 U. S. C. §1052(a). Brunetti brought a First Amendment challenge to the “immoral or scandalous” bar in the Federal Circuit, which invalidated the provision."
Cite this page
- IANCU v. BRUNETTI. (n.d.). First Amendment Library. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from iancu-v-brunetti.html
- IANCU v. BRUNETTI, First Amendment Library, iancu-v-brunetti.html (last visited 16 May 2025).
- Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). "IANCU v. BRUNETTI." Oyez. iancu-v-brunetti.html (accessed May 16, 2025).
- "IANCU v. BRUNETTI." First Amendment Library. Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), n.d. 16 May 2025, iancu-v-brunetti.html.