Dehlin Filed Evidence in LDS Trademark Lawsuit
John Dehlin and the Open Stories Foundation submitted a notice of supplemental evidence in an ongoing trademark case.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Latter-Day Saints
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John Dehlin and the Open Stories Foundation filed a notice of supplemental evidence in their motion to dismiss a trademark lawsuit brought by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The defendants argue that the Church uses trademark enforcement to control the term Mormon.
Why it matters
The defendants seek to demonstrate inconsistent enforcement by the Church regarding the term Mormon. The motion aims to show that the Church utilizes trademark law as a tool for coercion.
The filing includes specific details regarding a separate trademark opposition case involving Heather Gay. Gay previously withdrew her application for the Bad Mormon trademark after the Church opposed it.
The players
John P. Dehlin
He is the defendant in the trademark infringement lawsuit filed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Open Stories Foundation
This is an organization co-defending against the trademark infringement claims alongside John P. Dehlin.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
This religious organization is the plaintiff currently suing for trademark infringement in Salt Lake City.
David Jordan
He serves as an attorney for the Church and discussed the legal strategy on the Keystone podcast.
Heather Gay
She is an author who withdrew a trademark application for the term Bad Mormon after opposition from the Church.
The details
The defendants point to a podcast interview where Church attorney David Jordan discussed the lawsuit and referenced Heather Gay's book Bad Mormon as an example of usage context. They allege that the Church has selectively applied trademark protections to maintain control over the usage of the word Mormon.
Timeline
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints initiated the lawsuit in 2026.
The notice of supplemental evidence was filed on Monday, September 28, 2026.
Culture Shift
The current legal battle highlights a broader tension between religious institutional control and the public use of identifying terminology in popular media. This case follows a pattern set by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints trademark opposition against Bad Mormon.
The legal filing affects how Salt Lake City residents and followers of the religion interpret the Church's reach into public and commercial discourse. Continued litigation may lead to further clarity on the legal boundaries for using religious terms in personal or commercial projects.
The takeaway
The court's eventual ruling on this motion could establish new legal precedents for how religious institutions manage their intellectual property. Observers should watch for how the court balances trademark protection with freedom of expression in religious contexts.
Further reading
Learn more about the ongoing legal and social developments regarding the Latter-Day Saints community in Salt Lake City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC 4.
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