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ORLANDO, Fla. - Law firm Morgan & Morgan has dropped its lawsuit against Disney that sought a ruling on whether it could use images of "Steamboat Willie" in one of its ads.
The firm filed a notice Wednesday asking a federal court to dismiss the suit without prejudice, court records show.
What we know:
"Steamboat Willie," which debuted in 1928, marked the official debut of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The animated short entered the public domain last year, but Disney still holds the trademark rights.
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Morgan & Morgan initially filed the lawsuit in September to get a decision on using "Steamboat Willie" in one of its ads and avoid possibly being sued by Disney for trademark infringement. The firm said Disney refused to provide any clarity when it reached out to the company ahead of time to see if Disney would take legal action against Morgan & Morgan over the ad.
The law firm's proposed black-and-white ad, made in the style of the animated short, features Minnie Mouse calling Morgan & Morgan after Mickey Mouse crashes a boat into her car. The ad also includes a disclaimer saying that the ad isn't authorized or endorsed by Disney.
Morgan & Morgan is an Orlando-based law firm known for its ads that include the tagline "for the people."
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What we don't know:
It’s not clear why Morgan & Morgan dropped the lawsuit.
The Source: This article was written with information from court documents and previous FOX 35 reporting.