'Fuct' vulgar or not, US court to decide

Pic/AFP

The US Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a case brought by a clothing line named "Fuct" which the government has refused to register, claiming it would promote vulgarity.

The case pits a provision of US trademark law that allows the government to deny requests on the basis "immoral" or "scandalous" words against the bedrock principles of free speech enshrined in the Constitution.

A date of hearing has not yet been fixed. But it's a safe bet no case before it will have exposed the nation's top judges to so many profanities.

The street-wear brand was founded in 1990 by Los Angeles-based designer Erik Brunetti. The name sounds like, but is spelled differently from, the past tense form of a common swear word.

Brunetti tried to formally register it in 2011 but was refused under the so-called scandalous-marks provision of trademark law.

He appealed against the decision and won, but the current administration of President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to give a final ruling on the matter.

Brunetti's lawyer, John Sommer, said that he hopes the country's top court will "take a strong position" in favour of free speech.

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