Peanuts music owner sues US government and others over Charlie Brown tunes

On May 20, 2026, Lee Mendelson Film Productions, which owns the music catalog for Peanuts television and film, initiated four federal copyright lawsuits to safeguard jazz musician Vince Guaraldi's renowned pieces associated with the Charlie Brown franchise. Filed in New York and Washington, D.C., the lawsuits target Buckle-Down, Inc., Heritage Auctions, GameMill Entertainment, and the U.S. Department of the Interior for the unauthorized commercial exploitation of songs like "Linus and Lucy," "Skating," and "O Tannenbaum" from "A Charlie Brown Christmas." The suits allege GameMill produced music "substantially similar to" Guaraldi's for its game "Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club." Additionally, Buckle-Down and Heritage Auctions are accused of using Guaraldi's music in ads for Peanuts products. Lead attorney Marc Jacobson emphasized the need to stop infringement that jeopardizes the integrity of these works. Heritage Auctions noted it has yet to receive the complaint, while the Department of the Interior opted not to comment.