Orange County – It appears that Sarah Palin and her daughter Bristol have both run into a bit of a snag in attempts to trademark their names for “motivational speaking services.”  Palin family attorney Thomas Van Flein filed applications for the names Sarah Palin and Bristol Palin on November 5, which were both rejected by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

According to an office action, Sarah’s application was refused because she failed to sign it.  “Please note that this refusal will be withdrawn if applicant provides written consent from the individual identified in the applied-for mark,” the USPTO said.  Apparently that wasn’t the only mistake on her application.  The USPTO went on to disclose that Sarah’s application failed to show that her name had been used in commerce and that, in itself, was grounds for refusal.  She is attempting to register her name as a trademark for motivational speaking services in the fields of politics, culture, business and values.

Bristol Palin’s application to trademark her name has also been refused for the same reasons.  She is seeking to trademark her name in light of her growing popularity as a motivational speaker “in the field of life choices.”  After having a baby out of wedlock at age seventeen, Bristol frequently speaks to teenagers about pregnancy and sexual abstinence.

It is typically uncommon for people in the political arena to formally trademark their names.  That is usually reserved for the likes of celebrities in the fashion, entertainment and sports industries who want to associate their branded names with commercial products and services. 

Either way, with the story of the incorrectly filed trademark applications picked up by many news outlets, the Palins may want to look into hiring an intellectual property law firm to file trademark applications in the future.