IANCU v. BRUNETTI
Supreme Court Cases
588 U.S. 18-302 (2019)
Case Overview
Legal Principle at Issue
Whether the bar of “immoral or scandalous” for registration of marks violates the First Amendment and hence is unconstitutional.
Action
The Supreme Court held 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 April 25, 2025, from https://www.thefire.org/supreme-court/iancu-v-brunetti
- IANCU v. BRUNETTI, First Amendment Library, https://www.thefire.org/supreme-court/iancu-v-brunetti (last visited 25 Apr. 2025).
- Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). "IANCU v. BRUNETTI." Oyez. https://www.thefire.org/supreme-court/iancu-v-brunetti (accessed April 25, 2025).
- "IANCU v. BRUNETTI." First Amendment Library. Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), n.d. 25 Apr. 2025, www.thefire.org/supreme-court/iancu-v-brunetti.