Federal judge won't repeat name of Washington NFL team; policy disclosed in a footnote
A federal judge doesn’t want to repeat a controversial team name in a suit claiming pro football players received bounties for injuring opposing players.
U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte revealed his policy in a footnote, report the Wall Street Journal Law Blog, the Washington Post and WJLA. “Pro Football’s team is popularly known as the Washington ‘Redskins,’ but the court will refrain from using the team name unless reference is made to a direct quote where the name appears,” he wrote. “Pro Football’s team will be referred to hereafter simply as ‘the Washington Team,’ ” he wrote.
Messite has also ordered lawyers not to use the Washington, D.C., team name in his courtroom, one of the lawyers told the Post. Messite refused to elaborate when the Post called him.
“My footnote is what it is,” he said.
The team lost six trademarks in a June ruling that said its name is offensive.
