The American Party is suing the Independent American Party, saying that party usurped its name and parts of its platform. A suit filed in 4th District Court in Provo names Lt. Gov. Val Oveson, who certified the Independent American Party in February. Joy Beech founded the political group called the Independent American Party in 1987 as an arm of Families Alert, a conservative values group she heads. The American Party was formed in 1968 under the name "American Independent Party." By 1971, it formally began using its current name but also continued to use the names American Independent Party and Independent American Party.
The suit maintains Oveson approved the Independent American Party for ballot access despite protests from the American Party and knowing there would be confusion over the names of the two parties.