Source: https://www.westerncity.com/article/who-gets-use-agency-seals-logos-letterhead-and-other-insignia
Timestamp: 2019-03-25 23:21:04
Document Index: 203849165

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1072', '§ 14205', '§ 7', '§ 424', '§ 8314', '§1', '§ 18304', '§34501', '§ 424', '§ 8314', '§ 84305', '§ 3206', '§ 3302', '§ 89001', '§ 18901', '§ 538']

Who Gets to Use Agency Seals, Logos, Letterhead and Other Insignia? - Western City Magazine
California law reflects the notion that it is unfair for public officials to use public resources to enhance their visibility and name recognition with potential voters. Consequently, sending mass mailings at public expense is forbidden.19 The Fair Political Practices Commission has defined “mass mailings” as sending more than 200 substantially similar pieces that contain the name, office or pictures of elected officials except as part of a standard letterhead.20
[1] See, for example, section 1.6© of San Francisco’s administrative code (“The Clerk Board of Supervisors shall have the custody of the corporate seal.”), available at www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm&vid=amlegal:sanfrancisco_ca.
[2] See, for example, section 1.6(e) of San Francisco’s administrative code (“Every person who maliciously or for commercial purposes, or without the prior approval of the Board of Supervisors, uses or allows to be used any reproduction or facsimile of the Seal of the City and County of San Francisco in any manner whatsoever is guilty of a misdemeanor.”), available at www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm&vid=amlegal:sanfrancisco_ca.
[3] See, for example, section 1.04.030(a) of the City of Riverside’s municipal code (“The City Clerk of the City of Riverside shall have custody of the official seal, the City of Riverside website banner, emblems, and all other City logos or insignia (hereinafter “City Insignia”). The use of City Insignia shall be for purposes directly connected with the official business of the City of Riverside, its City Council, officers or departments, and for those matters expressly approved by the Mayor and City Council.”), available at https://riversideca.gov/municode/pdf/01/1-04.pdf.
[4] 15 U.S.C. § 1072; see also United States Patent and Trademark Office, Protecting Your Trademark: Enhancing Your Rights Through Federal Registration: Basic Facts About Trademarks, 7 (2012), available at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/BasicFacts.pdf.
[5] See generally Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 14205-09; California Secretary of State Trademarks and Service Marks Frequently Asked Questions, www.sos.ca.gov/business/ts/faqs.htm.
[6] 22 Am. Jur. Proof of Facts 3d 623 § 7 (2013).
[7] See, for example, section 1.04.030(a) of the City of Riverside’s municipal code. (“The use of City Insignia shall be for purposes directly connected with the official business of the City of Riverside, its City Council, officers or departments, and for those matters expressly approved by the Mayor and City Council.”), available at https://riversideca.gov/municode/pdf/01/1-04.pdf.
[8] See, for example, section 2.05.030 of Kern County’s code (“Every person who uses or allows to be used any reproduction or facsimile of the seal of the county of Kern, state of California, except county departments for official business, in any manner whatsoever without the written consent of the board of supervisors, or its designee, is guilty of a misdemeanor.”), available at www.co.kern.ca.us (click on “County Ordinance Codes” under Quick Links section). See also Kern County Guidelines for Use of County Seal, available at www.co.kern.ca.us/pio/pdf/use_KC_seal.pdf.
[9] Fluvanna Blogger Wins Case Over Use Of County Seal, The Daily Progress, September 2, 2011, available at www.dailyprogress.com/news/article_9dbf03ed-6fe9-539e-b991-9f56105b75ac.html.
[10] See, for example, Lodi Council Protocols (“The City Clerk is the custodian of the Official City Seal pursuant to Lodi Municipal Code 2.13.010. The City Seal shall not be altered and is to be used only on official City documents.”), available at www.lodi.gov/clerk/aaPDFimages/CouncilProtocols.pdf.
[11] See Cal. Penal Code § 424; Cal. Gov’t Code § 8314.
[12] People v. Bishop, 2000 WL 520878 (2000) (unpublished opinion). Another element of the prosecution was the use of county resources for campaign purposes.
[13] City of Santa Clara, Code of Ethics and Values §1(g), available at: www.santaclaraca.gov/index.aspx?page=406.
[14] Cal. Elect. Code § 18304.
[15] See, for example, Cal. Gov’t Code §34501.5, which provides:
[16] See Cal. Penal Code § 424; Cal. Gov’t Code § 8314.
[17] See Cal. Gov’t Code § 84305.
[18] Cal. Gov’t Code § 3206. See Cal. Gov’t Code § 3302.
[19] See Cal. Gov’t Code § 89001.
[20] See 2 Cal. Code Regs. § 18901.
[21] Cal. Penal Code § 538d(b)(2) (making it a misdemeanor to use a badge that would deceive an ordinary reasonable person into thinking the person is a law enforcement official). See 90 Cal. Op. Att’y Gen. 57 (2007).