Exhibit from Walt Disney Productions, Ltd. v. Pathe Exchange, Inc. and the Van Beuren Corporation (Equity T-87), c. 1932
This document, filed as an exhibit in a copyright lawsuit, depicts the similarities between Mickey and Minnie Mouse, created by Walt Disney, and Milton and Mary Mouse, created by Pathe Exchange and the Van Beuren Corporation.
Soon after his debut in Steamboat Willie on November 18, 1928, Mickey Mouse and his creator, Walt Disney, were in federal court suing Pathe Exchange, Inc. and the Van Beuren Corporation for trademark infringement. Disney claimed that Milton Mouse and Mary Mouse, characters in Pathe Exchange, Inc. and the Van Buren Corporation were very similar to Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, in both appearance and personality. Disney won this suit, making way for changes to copyright and trademark laws.
This case, Equity T-87, was heard by the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, then appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The file contains the pleadings of both parties to the litigation, the judgment of the lower court, the opinion of the appeals court, and most importantly, drawings of the animated characters and copies of Walt Disney’s approved trademarks for Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.
Our office holds Civil Case Files, Civil Law Case Files, and Equity Case Files created by the United States District Court in Los Angeles, CA, which include the litigious history of the entertainment industry in Hollywood, suits relating to constitutional rights, condemnation of real property, disputes over intellectual property, and more.
Exhibit from Walt Disney Productions, Ltd. v. Pathe Exchange, Inc. and the Van Beuren Corporation (Equity T-87), dated c. 1932. National Archives Identifier: 333398767.
You can explore more records held in the National Archives at Riverside by searching the National Archives Catalog or by visiting our research room in person. We encourage researchers to contact us to learn more about our holdings or to schedule an appointment.