--- title: "Don’t Mess With Walter the Dummy" canonicalUrl: "https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/dont-mess-with-walter-the-dummy/" excerpt: "Wyche Inside IP By Troy A. Tessier Jeff Dunham and Walter, a dummy character Jeff uses in his popular standup act, now have a new venue – federal court.  According to a complaint filed in federal court in California (Case No. 2:15-cv-05092), Anthony Horn is accused of knocking off the popular character of Walter and selling nearly identical dummies on eBay.   On the left is Jeff Dunham’s trademarked and copyrighted Walter dummy.  On the right is the knockoff offered for sale by the defendant. The comedian was apparently not amused.  In his lawsuit, Dunham includes claims of trademark and trade dress…
Read More" datePublished: "2015-07-14T15:35:13-04:00" dateModified: "2024-05-24T16:06:03-04:00" --- - Don’t Mess With Walter the Dummy [Home](https://wyche.com/) » Don’t Mess With Walter the Dummy [** Wyche, P.A.](https://wyche.com/author/insights/) - ** [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection) ** ** ** # Don’t Mess With Walter the Dummy [*Wyche Inside IP*](https://wyche.wpengine.com/insights/newsletters/intellectual-property-newsletter/) By [Troy A. Tessier](https://wyche.wpengine.com/what/attorneys/lawyer/troy-a-tessier/) Jeff Dunham and Walter, a dummy character Jeff uses in his popular standup act, now have a new venue – federal court.  According to a complaint filed in federal court in California (Case No. 2:15-cv-05092), Anthony Horn is accused of knocking off the popular character of Walter and selling nearly identical dummies on eBay.   On the left is Jeff Dunham’s trademarked and copyrighted Walter dummy.  On the right is the knockoff offered for sale by the defendant. The comedian was apparently not amused.  In his lawsuit, Dunham includes claims of trademark and trade dress infringement as well as copyright infringement, and seeks not only injunctive relief to prevent any further infringement, but also seeks damages, any profits realized by Mr. Horn, and attorneys’ fees.  The moral here?  Perhaps you should think twice before you mess with a dummy. [*](https://wyche.com/author/insights/) [## Wyche, P.A.](https://wyche.com/author/insights/) Wyche is a full-service law firm that has practiced law and served the community for over 100 years. In that time, Wyche has participated in landmark litigation, served as counsel on cutting-edge transactions, and provided community leadership that has helped shape and drive our region’s growth and success. With offices across the state, Wyche is the South Carolina member of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms. RELATED ARTICLES [](https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/thirty-five-wyche-attorneys-named-to-2026-best-lawyers-lists/) ### [Thirty-Five Wyche Attorneys Named to 2026 Best Lawyers Lists](https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/thirty-five-wyche-attorneys-named-to-2026-best-lawyers-lists/) Best Lawyers® has recognized 35 Wyche attorneys for 2026. Four Wyche attorneys were named “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas. John Moylan [](https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/wallace-lightsey-elected-to-the-american-law-institute/) ### [Wallace Lightsey Elected to the American Law Institute](https://wyche.com/insights/blog/posts/wallace-lightsey-elected-to-the-american-law-institute/) GREENVILLE, SC (January 21, 2026) – Wyche is pleased to announce that Wallace Lightsey has been elected to the American Law Institute (ALI), a singular [* View All](https://wyche.com/insights/news-stories/) ## Stay in Touch Join one our mailing lists and receive regular updates! [Subscribe to Updates](/subscription) ## Contact Us * * Send Message - [Our Philosophy](https://wyche.com/our-philosophy/) - [Unique Culture](https://wyche.com/our-unique-culture/) - [Client Service](https://wyche.com/wyche-difference/) - [Global Reach](https://wyche.com/global-reach/) - [Careers](https://wyche.com/careers/) - [Locations](https://wyche.com/locations) - [Centennial](https://wyche.com/wyche-100/) [Linkedin **](https://www.linkedin.com/company/wychepa/) [Facebook **](https://www.facebook.com/wychepa?ref=hl) [Instagram **](https://www.instagram.com/wychepa/)