Vidal v. Elster

Decided June 13, 2024. Clarence Thomas delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 22-704 · 602 U.S. 286 (2024) · Cited 31 times

Holding

The Lanham Act’s names clause—which prohibits the registration of a mark that “[c]onsists of or comprises a name . . . identifying a particular living individual except by his written consent,” 15 U. S. C. §1052(c)—does not violate the First Amendment.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court. Read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 9–0.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. The lineup is the syllabus’s disposition of who wrote and joined each opinion. Source: the opinion’s syllabus (supremecourt.gov).

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Iancu v. Brunetti · 588 U.S. 388 (2019)
• Matal v. Tam · 582 U.S. 218 (2017)
• Reed v. Town of Gilbert · 576 U.S. 155 (2015)
• R. A. v. v. City of St. Paul · 505 U.S. 377 (1992)
• Davenport v. Washington Education Ass'n · 551 U.S. 177 (2007)
• Rosenberger v. Rector & Visitors of University of Virginia · 515 U.S. 819 (1995)
• Cornelius v. NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. · 473 U.S. 788 (1985)
• Perry Education Ass'n v. Perry Local Educators' Ass'n · 460 U.S. 37 (1983)
• San Francisco Arts & Athletics, Inc. v. United States Olympic Committee · 483 U.S. 522 (1987)
• National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra · 585 U.S. 755 (2018)
• Thaddeus Davids Co. v. Davids Manufacturing Co. · 233 U.S. 461 (1914)
• Park 'N Fly, Inc. v. Dollar Park & Fly, Inc. · 469 U.S. 189 (1985)
• United States v. Steffens · 100 U.S. 82 (1879)
• Legal Services Corp. v. Velazquez · 531 U.S. 533 (2001)
• City of Austin v. Reagan National Advertising of Austin, LLC · 596 U.S. 61 (2022)
• Samia v. United States · 599 U.S. 635 (2023)
• New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen · 597 U.S. 1 (2022)
• Sorrell v. IMS Health Inc. · 564 U.S. 552 (2011)
• Canal Co. v. Clark · 80 U.S. 311 (1872)
• Conroy v. Aniskoff · 507 U.S. 511 (1993)
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Community Financial Services Assn. of America, Ltd. · 601 U.S. 416 (2024)
• Roth v. United States · 354 U.S. 476 (1957)
• Harris v. McRae · 448 U.S. 297 (1980)
• United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co. · 200 U.S. 321 (1906)
• Rust v. Sullivan · 500 U.S. 173 (1991)
• Regan v. Taxation With Representation of Washington · 461 U.S. 540 (1983)
• Pleasant Grove City v. Summum · 555 U.S. 460 (2009)
• Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. Members of the New York State Crime Victims Board · 502 U.S. 105 (1991)
• Hanover Star Milling Co. v. Metcalf · 240 U.S. 403 (1916)
• National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley · 524 U.S. 569 (1998)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• SEC v. Jarkesy · 603 U.S. 109 (2024)
• Trump v. United States · 603 U.S. 593 (2024)

Official text

Read the official opinion (PDF, supremecourt.gov)

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Clarence Thomas’s profile · All Supreme Court opinions · The Supreme Court

Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (2024). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-08-15. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).