Justice Department gives up Washington Redskins name fight after Supreme Court ruling

The Justice Department is giving up the legal fight over the name of the Washington Redskins.

In a letter to a federal appeals court, the department said last week’s Supreme Court decision in favor of an Asian American band calling itself the Slants means the NFL team will prevail in a legal battle to cancel the team’s trademarks because the name is disparaging to Native Americans.

Mark Freeman, an attorney for the Justice Department’s civil division, wrote on Wednesday to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals that the court “should reverse the judgment of the district court and remand the case with instructions to enter judgment in favor of Pro-Football.” The Redskins case had been on hold in the federal appeals court while the Slants decision was rendered.