Worthington, MN asked in Education Law, Copyright and Trademark for Minnesota

Q: I work in several schools and wondering if you can help with a couple of questions to clarify questions that I get.

1) Students/teachers are 3D Printing items such as Mickey Mouse.

2) Students/teachers are using a plasma table to cut NFL/MLB logos, Harley Davidson logos and then sell to community.

1 Lawyer Answer

A: Generally, creating and selling branded items with someone else's trademark, like a professional sports team, is trademark infringement and is against the law. In most cases, making 3D printed objects is fine. If you are creating and selling copyright protected characters, you could run into a legal problem. An attorney would need to review the specific item to advise on what legal liabilities exist.

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