Newswise — University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law Professor Jorge Contreras is available to discuss today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down part of a federal law that denies trademark protection of terms that may offend people.The ruling could benefit the NFL's Washington Redskins, whose trademark was canceled based on the same law in a separate proceeding. It could potentially have an impact on other similar controversies involving team names and trademarks deemed offensive. In the Supreme Court opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote: "Holding that the registration of a trademark converts the mark into government speech would constitute a huge and dangerous extension of the government-speech doctrine, for other systems of government registration (such as copyright) could easily be characterized in the same way.” He added: "The commercial market is well stocked with merchandise that disparages prominent figures and groups, and the line between commercial and non-commercial speech is not always clear, as this case illustrates," Alito added. "If affixing the commercial label permits the suppression of any speech that may lead to political or social 'volatility,' free speech would be endangered." Contreras teaches in the areas of intellectual property, law and science, and property law. He will teach a trademarks course at the law school in the fall of 2017.  He is available to discuss potential implications of U.S. Trademark and Patent Office vs. Tam. To arrange an interview, call him at: 314-566-6695 or e-mail: [email protected]