Martin County Commission wants to make using County Seal illegal
The Martin County Commission could soon make it illegal to use the county’s seal without permission. Staff said they have found multiple instances where the seal was being used in an unofficial way, like in an unaffiliated newsletter, on buttons, and on t-shirts.
The county approached an individual to have them stop using the seal, but found out that there wasn’t anything in place that allowed them to stop it.
The county seal cannot be copyrighted or trademarked. County staff believes the only way to get people to stop using the seal is to have commissioners make unauthorized use of the seal a crime.
Using the seal without permission would be a second degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail. The proposed law will be up for debate at the Tuesday meeting.
