March 23, 2023 - 9:00am | By Kyle Cornell
(Washington, DC) -- A trademark case involving Jack Daniel's whiskey and a dog chew toy has been heard by Supreme Court.
The high court heard oral arguments from a lawyer for Jack Daniel's, who claims that a chew toy named "Bad Spaniels" violates trademark law by "associating its fine whiskey with dog poop."
The dog toy is shaped like a Jack Daniel's bottle, but instead of saying "Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey," the label says "Old No. 2 on your Tennessee Carpet."
The "Bad Spaniels" toy is made by VIP Products, who say the toy is an obvious parody and therefore protected as free speech under the First Amendment.
Supreme Court justices on Wednesday seemed to find fault on both sides, likely sending it back to lower courts for extra work.