Law Commons^™

Language Of The Law: The Special Role And Trademarks, Trade Names, And Other Trade Emblems., John T. Cross

Faculty Scholarship

In 1979, the United States Supreme Court decided Friedman v. Rogers, a case involving a First Amendment challenge to a Texas statute that prohibited optometrists from practicing under an assumed trade name. Although an important case, Friedman certainly is not one of the major milestones of First Amendment jurisprudence. Prior Supreme Court decisions established that although commercial speech is protected by the First Amendment, government may regulate speech to prevent deception or confusion. Because a majority in Friedman found a possibility of deception, the Court held that Texas could constitutionally prohibit the use of a trade name. Friedman becomes much …