![\"Entertainment](\"https:\/\/www.digitalmusicnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Peanuts-Suits-1024x546.jpg\" "\\"Entertainment\\"")
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Photo Credit: Sandy Ravaloniaina<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Entertainment What do the federal government, video game publisher GameMill Entertainment, Heritage Auctions, and belt-buckle specialist Buckle-Down have in common? For one thing, they\u2019re facing infringement lawsuits from Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP), which controls the Peanuts <\/em>music catalog. <\/strong><\/h2>\nLMFP yesterday fired off all four complaints, which arrive hot on the heels of Sony Music\u2019s deal for a controlling stake in Peanuts Holdings. At present, Sony Group subsidiaries own 80% of the iconic brand, with Peanuts <\/em>creator Charles M. Schulz\u2019s family possessing the remaining 20% interest.<\/p>\nBut as mentioned, the litigation is technically being spearheaded by Lee Mendelson Film Productions, which has tapped entertainment attorney Marc Jacobson as its counsel. A rep for Jacobson told DMN that \u201cthere is no connection between the filing of these cases and Sony Music\u2019s recent acquisition announcement.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, to state the obvious, a third party\u2019s aggressively suing over allegedly infringing Peanuts\u00a0<\/em>music usages is a thorn in the side of the broader IP portfolio \u2013 especially when the characters themselves were clearly licensed from Peanuts Holdings.<\/p>\nThat the latter now counts one of the world\u2019s largest music companies as its owner is significant as well; the four-suit frenzy has undoubtedly caught Sony Music\u2019s attention. Might the catalog-minded major<\/a> be open to buying the\u00a0Peanuts\u00a0<\/em>music?<\/p>\nIn any event, as summarized in the legal text, LMFP is the \u201ctelevision and film production company and music publisher\u201d founded by the namesake Lee Mendelson over six decades ago.<\/strong><\/h4>\nMendelson, who passed away in 2019, served as executive producer on a number of Peanuts <\/em>television specials, among them A Charlie Brown Christmas<\/em> and It\u2019s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown<\/em>.<\/p>\nLMFP also owns and administers Vince Guaraldi\u2019s library of Charlie Brown music; Guaraldi composed well-known works including \u201cLinus and Lucy\u201d for the Peanuts <\/em>television programs.<\/p>\nEnter LMFP\u2019s litigation rampage, beginning with a relatively straightforward claim<\/a> that the Department of the Interior (DOI) this past December infringed on \u201cO Tannenbaum\u201d in \u201ca widely distributed, animated digital Christmas greeting depicting activities the Department of [the] Interior might undertake.\u201d <\/strong><\/h4>\nWhile it probably goes without saying, the DOI allegedly failed to license the work; the department subsequently deleted the corresponding social media posts, according to the action. The DOI didn\u2019t immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
Next, Heritage Auctions allegedly synced<\/a> \u201cLinus and Lucy\u201d to a Facebook and Instagram promotional video without authorization when advertising Peanuts <\/em>collectibles.<\/p>\n\u201cAt this time, Heritage has not been served with or reviewed the complaint. If and when we receive it, we will review the allegations and respond as appropriate,\u201d a rep said to DMN.<\/p>\n
Buckle-Down, for its part, is alleged to have infringed<\/a> on the same work in a TikTok and Instagram promo vid plugging Peanuts <\/em>items; the company didn\u2019t respond to a request for comment in time for publishing.<\/p>\nThis leads to the final and most interesting of the rapid-fire suits<\/a>: GameMill allegedly hired musicians \u201cto compose and record music\u2026that was very similar \u2013 but not identical \u2013 to\u201d Guaraldi\u2019s \u201cSkating\u201d and \u201cLinus and Lucy.\u201d<\/h4>\nThese alleged soundalike works then made their way into the gaming company\u2019s Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club <\/em>release last year as a \u201crunning audio accompaniment,\u201d per the action.<\/p>\nUnsurprisingly, the complaint dedicates quite a bit of ink to rehashing a musicologist report breaking down the works\u2019 alleged overlap. Put briefly, the plaintiff is alleging \u201cverbatim and near-verbatim copying of discrete, original expressive elements\u201d extending \u201cbeyond unprotectable ideas, sc\u00e8nes \u00e0 faire, stock elements, or elements in the public domain.\u201d<\/p>\n
GameMill didn\u2019t respond to a comment request in time for publishing. The relevant game\u2019s soundtrack, seemingly composed by non-party Levon Louis, is live on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n
But as mentioned, the litigation is technically being spearheaded by Lee Mendelson Film Productions, which has tapped entertainment attorney Marc Jacobson as its counsel. A rep for Jacobson told DMN that \u201cthere is no connection between the filing of these cases and Sony Music\u2019s recent acquisition announcement.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, to state the obvious, a third party\u2019s aggressively suing over allegedly infringing Peanuts\u00a0<\/em>music usages is a thorn in the side of the broader IP portfolio \u2013 especially when the characters themselves were clearly licensed from Peanuts Holdings.<\/p>\n That the latter now counts one of the world\u2019s largest music companies as its owner is significant as well; the four-suit frenzy has undoubtedly caught Sony Music\u2019s attention. Might the catalog-minded major<\/a> be open to buying the\u00a0Peanuts\u00a0<\/em>music?<\/p>\n Mendelson, who passed away in 2019, served as executive producer on a number of Peanuts <\/em>television specials, among them A Charlie Brown Christmas<\/em> and It\u2019s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown<\/em>.<\/p>\n LMFP also owns and administers Vince Guaraldi\u2019s library of Charlie Brown music; Guaraldi composed well-known works including \u201cLinus and Lucy\u201d for the Peanuts <\/em>television programs.<\/p>\n While it probably goes without saying, the DOI allegedly failed to license the work; the department subsequently deleted the corresponding social media posts, according to the action. The DOI didn\u2019t immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n Next, Heritage Auctions allegedly synced<\/a> \u201cLinus and Lucy\u201d to a Facebook and Instagram promotional video without authorization when advertising Peanuts <\/em>collectibles.<\/p>\n \u201cAt this time, Heritage has not been served with or reviewed the complaint. If and when we receive it, we will review the allegations and respond as appropriate,\u201d a rep said to DMN.<\/p>\n Buckle-Down, for its part, is alleged to have infringed<\/a> on the same work in a TikTok and Instagram promo vid plugging Peanuts <\/em>items; the company didn\u2019t respond to a request for comment in time for publishing.<\/p>\n These alleged soundalike works then made their way into the gaming company\u2019s Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club <\/em>release last year as a \u201crunning audio accompaniment,\u201d per the action.<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, the complaint dedicates quite a bit of ink to rehashing a musicologist report breaking down the works\u2019 alleged overlap. Put briefly, the plaintiff is alleging \u201cverbatim and near-verbatim copying of discrete, original expressive elements\u201d extending \u201cbeyond unprotectable ideas, sc\u00e8nes \u00e0 faire, stock elements, or elements in the public domain.\u201d<\/p>\n GameMill didn\u2019t respond to a comment request in time for publishing. The relevant game\u2019s soundtrack, seemingly composed by non-party Levon Louis, is live on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\nIn any event, as summarized in the legal text, LMFP is the \u201ctelevision and film production company and music publisher\u201d founded by the namesake Lee Mendelson over six decades ago.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Enter LMFP\u2019s litigation rampage, beginning with a relatively straightforward claim<\/a> that the Department of the Interior (DOI) this past December infringed on \u201cO Tannenbaum\u201d in \u201ca widely distributed, animated digital Christmas greeting depicting activities the Department of [the] Interior might undertake.\u201d <\/strong><\/h4>\n
This leads to the final and most interesting of the rapid-fire suits<\/a>: GameMill allegedly hired musicians \u201cto compose and record music\u2026that was very similar \u2013 but not identical \u2013 to\u201d Guaraldi\u2019s \u201cSkating\u201d and \u201cLinus and Lucy.\u201d<\/h4>\n