On March 22, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Jack Daniel’s v. VIP Products, an important dispute at the intersection of the First Amendment and trademark law. The case concerns VIP’s dog toy that copies Jack Daniel’s iconic Tennessee whiskey bottle, but with the name changed to “Bad Spaniels” and other humorous elements added. Jack Daniel’s claims that the toy infringes its trademarks and trade dress, while VIP maintains that its parodic use is protected expression. The Supreme Court will decide whether the Ninth Circuit erred in applying a First Amendment test that gives broad protection to humorous products that allegedly infringe. It will also address whether VIP’s use is noncommercial and thus immune from liability for tarnishing Jack Daniel’s reputation.
Please join Hudson Legal Fellow Devlin Hartline and expert panelists Megan K. Bannigan, Ben Sheffner, and Vijay Toke for a discussion on the importance of striking the right balance between free speech and trademark protection.
Join Hudson Institute for a conference with leaders from industry, government, academia, and defense to discuss the latest developments in the US-China AI competition.
Join House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03) for a fireside discussion with Senior Fellow Nadia Schadlow on Congress’s role in revitalizing America’s defense industrial base.
Please join Hudson Institute for a special address on the current state-of-play by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will join remotely, followed by a question-and-answer session on the war with Hudson Institute President and CEO John Walters.
Bill Frauenhofer, executive director for semiconductor investment and innovation at the US Department of Commerce, will join Hudson Institute Senior Fellow David Feith for an invitation-only fireside chat on semiconductor onshoring and the role of government capital in strengthening America’s technological and industrial leadership.
