2012 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 16 - Crimes and Offenses
Chapter 17 - OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC POLICY
Section 16-17-310 - Imitation of organizations' names, emblems and the like.

No person, society or organization shall assume, use, adopt, become incorporated under or continue to use the name and style or emblems of any incorporated benevolent, fraternal, social, humane or charitable organization previously existing in this State or a name and style or emblem so nearly resembling the name and style of such incorporated organization as to be a colorable imitation thereof. When two or more of such societies, associations or corporations claim the right to the same name or to a name substantially similar as above provided, the organization which was first organized and used the name and first became incorporated under the laws of the United States or of any state of the Union, whether incorporated in this State or not, shall be entitled in this State to the prior and exclusive use of such name, and the rights of such societies, associations or corporations and of their individual members shall be fixed and determined accordingly.

Any person who shall wear a badge, button or other emblem or shall use the name or claim to be a member of any benevolent, fraternal, social, humane or charitable organization which is entitled to the exclusive use of such name and emblems under this section, either in the identical form or in such near resemblance thereto as to be a colorable imitation of such emblems and name, unless entitled so to do under the laws, rules and regulations of such organization, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for not less than thirty days nor more than one year.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 16-542; 1952 Code Section 16-542; 1942 Code Section 1243; 1932 Code Section 1243; Cr. C. '22 Section 139; Cr. C. '12 Section 285; 1906 (25) 118; 1910 (26) 723, 779; 1925 (34) 20.