Adventist Review, Newsbreak, October, 1996

"Adventist Church Wins Trademark Case"

On August 20 the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rejected a challenge to the church's trademark registration of its name Seventh-day Adventist.

The court dismissed an appeal, filed by Virginia L. Stocker, from an earlier decision of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's trademark trial and appeal board that denied petitions to cancel the church's registration.

"We are very pleased that the trademark trial and appeal board confirmed the validity of the church's registration," says Walter E. Carson, an associate general counsel of the General Conference. "The court's ruling allows the church exclusive use of the name 'Adventist' and 'Seventh-day Adventist' and protects the name from misuse by individuals and unaffiliated groups," Carson says.

The GC trademark policy authorizes use of "Seventh-day Adventist" by church entities, such as conferences and institutions listed in the current Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, and by local churches and companies of believers that are recognized by a local conference of mission.


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