
Supreme Court Decision Syllabus (SCOTUS Podcast)
Following what the Supreme Court is actually doing can be daunting. Reporting on the subject is often only done within the context of political narratives of the day -- and following the Court's decisions and reading every new case can be a non-starter. The purpose of this Podcast is to make it as easy as possible for members of the public to source information about what is happening at the Supreme Court. For that reason, we read every Opinion Syllabus without any commentary whatsoever. Further, there are no advertisements or sponsors. We call it "information sourcing," and we hope that the podcast is a useful resource for members of the public who want to understand the legal issues of the day, prospective law students who want to get to know legal language and understand good legal writing, and attorneys who can use the podcast to be better advocates for their clients.
*Note this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only.
Supreme Court Decision Syllabus (SCOTUS Podcast)
Jack Daniel's Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC (Trademark)
In Jack Daniel's Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC, the Supreme Court examines the intersection of trademark law and First Amendment rights. The dispute centers around VIP's creation of a dog toy resembling a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey, with humorous modifications. Jack Daniel's argues that the toy infringes and dilutes their trademarks, while VIP claims it is a parody protected under the fair use exclusion. The Court addresses the application of the Rogers test and the scope of the noncommercial use exclusion in the Lanham Act. Read by guest host Jeff Barnum.