Royal Lineage Is No Match for Trademark Law in NFL Saints’ Legal Victory

By Katelyn Kohler On April 14, 2025, the Federal Circuit dismissed Michel Messier’s appeal challenging the registered fleur-de-lis trademark of the National Football League’s New Orleans Saints.[1] Messier, claiming descent from European royalty, argued his family holds intellectual property rights to the fleur-de-lis, especially in association with “Orleans” and “Saints.” The court, however, found that trademark rights in the U.S. hinge on commercial use, not personal heritage, a