Faith, Fair Use and the First Amendment: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. Mormon Stories Podcast
DATE: Friday, September 4 2026
TIME: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm MST
LOCATION: College of Law and Virtual Event
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
This CLE explores the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’s trademark and copyright infringement claims against the Mormon Stories Podcast, examining the legal boundaries between intellectual property protection and free expression. Attendees will analyze key issues including fair use, initial interest confusion, dilution by tarnishment, implied sponsorship/endorsement, and the role of religious identity in branding disputes. The session will also consider broader implications for media, nonprofits, and digital creators navigating IP law in sensitive or high-profile contexts.
PRESENTERS:
Jorge L. Contreras is a Distinguished University Professor, the James T. Jensen Endowed Professor for Transactional Law, and Director of the Program on Intellectual Property and Technology Law at the University of Utah. His teaching and research focus on intellectual property, antitrust, technical standardization, and science policy. An elected member of the American Law Institute, he received the University of Utah’s Distinguished Research Award in 2020 and the Rossman Memorial Award in 2022, and has testified before U.S. Senate and House Subcommittees on Intellectual Property. Professor Contreras has written or edited fourteen books and published more than 150 scholarly works, including The Genome Defense (2021), widely recognized by major media outlets. He is frequently quoted in global media and has appeared on C-SPAN, NPR, and the BBC. He currently serves in leadership roles with the American Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools, and previously practiced at WilmerHale. He holds degrees from Harvard Law School and Rice University and clerked for the Texas Supreme Court.
The views expressed in this lecture and in the event description are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views of the S.J. Quinney College of Law or the University of Utah.
For questions about this event email events@law.utah.edu.
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