Disney has just won a lawsuit against Christopher and Hannah Martin for selling bootleg Disney merchandise to their social media followers via their account “Sparkling Dreamers.” Before Disney took the issue to court, they sent the couple two cease and desist letters, which were ignored.
Normally, Disney doesn’t seem to get too involved if people are selling their designs for ears or shirts, but in this case, the couple apparently marked that the company address was Walt Disney World. This was enough for the Mouse to go after them. While they made some changes, they were still insufficient for Disney.
Apparently, they even tried to apply for a copyright registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for their logo, which Disney said was a version similar to their trademarked Disneyland logo.
In January of 2023, Disney sent them a 700-page filing for a lawsuit against them.
@originalchrismartin Were being sued by THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY! We have remained quiet, up til now, but we want our voice to be heard! Bloggers, tiktokers & more are not telling the correct story… its time we clear the air on this all. #lawsuit #suedbydisney ♬ original sound – Chris Martin’s shop
Christopher Martin was trespassed and banned from Walt Disney World on March 10, 2023. However, he was recently at Tokyo Disney, so his ban must have only been for Walt Disney World or the United States Disney parks. It also could have been a temporary ban and not a permanent one.
The lawsuit is seemingly over, with a judgment for Disney demanding that the Martins shut down their online stores and never infringe against Disney again or face a $100k fine.
All things considered, this is a very light sentence. However, they probably had to spend some money on legal fees. I bet they are glad to move on.
What do you think? Comment and let us know!
Source: Florida Politics
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