2002-02-01 Hale's church wins trademark suit

[PatTracy]

Hale's church wins trademark suit

Chicago Tribune - February 1, 2002
A federal judge dismissed Thursday a trademark-infringement lawsuit filed against the World Church of the Creator, led by white supremacist Matthew Hale of Downstate East Peoria.

The 2000 suit by TE-TA-MA Truth Foundation, more commonly known as Church of the Creator, contended the similar names and trademarks created the mistaken impression that their church endorses Hale's racist message.

But in a 16-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow found the church names "generic" and said that "neither can lay claim to it as their own."

In a statement, Hale said he would seek to have the plaintiff's attorneys pay more than $10,000 in legal fees incurred by his church in the case and vowed to use the money "to continue building our racist religious movement."

Edition: Southwest Final
Section: Metro
Page: 4
Index Terms: RELIGION ; CULT ; RIGHTS ; LAWSUIT ; DECISION ; COMPARISON ; GROUP
Record Number: CTR0202010152
Copyright 2002, Chicago Tribune