Detroit Institute of Arts Founders Society v. Rose

Puppeteer Rufus Rose created the Howdy Doody puppet used on NBC. Correspondence between Rose and NBC's legal department indicated the puppet was to go to the Detroit Institute of Arts (plaintiff). Rose and his widow died before the museum received it. The museum sued the executor of the widow's estate and Rose family members (defendants) for breach of contract, moving for summary judgment as a third-party beneficiary of the Rose-NBC agreement.

Whether an intended third-party beneficiary of a contract may sue to enforce the contract.