‘I’ll see you again in 30 years’: A look back at Twin Peaks Productions v Publications Intern

I was introduced to the TV show Twin Peaks in the late 90s by a friend, who had VHS tapes of the first season. It has stuck with me ever since. Years later, I learned that the show was at the centre of an important decision from the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1993: Twin Peaks Productions v Publications International (2023) marked the 30th anniversary of the Second Circuit’s decision, which has been cited nearly 500 times, including at least 11 times in 2023. This interesting case is due another look.

I spoke with former US District Judge John Martin, who presided over the district court proceedings. I also spoke with attorneys who worked on the case for the plaintiff ( Richard Lehv of Fross Zelnick Lehman & Zissu) and the defendants (Dorothy Weber of Herbsman Hafer Weber & Frisch). All three generously shared their recollections with me.

“Welcome to Twin Peaks”