Sarah Palin's bid to trademark her name and that of her daughter, Bristol, ran into trouble at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office because the application forms were unsigned, government records show.
Applications to trademark the names Sarah Palin and Bristol Palin, both for "motivational speaking services," were filed on November 5 by the Palins' longtime family attorney, Thomas Van Flein, but were quickly slapped down by a trademark examiner.
"Registration is refused because the applied-for mark, SARAH PALIN, consists of a name identifying a particular living individual whose consent to register the mark is not of record," the patent agency said in an office action.
"Please note this refusal will be withdrawn if applicant provides written consent from the individual identified in the applied-for mark," the patent office said.
The office also said Palin's application failed to show that her name had been used in commerce, which could also be grounds for rejection.
Bristol Palin's application also will need to be redone, according to a similar office action filed in her case.
The applications will be fixed, and the trademarks are likely to be granted, said attorney John Tiemessen, now handling the trademark process for Palin.
Posts
