Judge Reinstates Harper Lee’s Suit Against Alabama Museum

A federal judge has reinstated a lawsuit that “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee filed against a museum in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

U.S. District Judge William Steele signed an order Thursday granting Lee’s request to reinstate her suit. Lee sought the reinstatement after her attorneys said settlement talks with the Monroe County Heritage Museum failed.

Lee sued in 2013, accusing the museum of taking advantage of her work by selling souvenirs and using the title of her book as its website address without compensating the author. The two sides filed notice of a settlement in February. That was never signed and the time for completing it ran out. The museum did change its website address.

The 88-year-old author lives in Monroeville.