Auction of Judy Garland ‘Wizard of Oz’ dress in jeopardy as judge sets hearing on ownership lawsuit

A lobby card from the film ‘The Wizard Of Oz,’ shows a film still of a scene in which American actress Judy Garland (1922 - 1969) (as Dorothy) wipes tears from the eyes of actor Bert Lahr (1895 - 1967) (as the Cowardly Lion), while watched by Jack Haley (1898 - 1979) (as the Tin Man) (left), and Ray Bolger (1904 - 1987) (as the Scarecrow), 1939. The film was directed by Victor Fleming.

A federal judge on Monday ordered a hearing on why he should not block the sale of the dress that Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz.

The hearing in Manhattan was set for May 23, a day before Bonham's auction house was scheduled to sell the dress on behalf of The Catholic University of America.

The court session was scheduled after a lawyer for Barbara Hartke asked the judge to stop the sale of the dress until the lawsuit was decided.

The dress is the legal property of the Rev. Gilbert Hartke, who founded Catholic University, according to the suit.

If Barbara Hartke wins the lawsuit, she could inherit the dress.

A blue and white checked gingham dress, worn by Judy Garland in the “Wizard of Oz,” hangs on display, Monday, April 25, 2022, at Bonhams in New York.

The dress that was given to Hartke by McCambridge is owned by the Washington, D.C. university.

Gilbert Harkte, a Roman Catholic priest, did not accept gifts as his personal property because of his vow of poverty.

. The school said in a May 6 statement that Hartke's estate does not have a property interest.

The blue-and-white gingham dress is one of only two that Garland wore in the film. The dress could sell for between $800,000 and $1.2 million according to Bonham's.

The other dress was sold for more than 1.5 million dollars.

McCambridge gave the dress to Gilbert Hartke in appreciation for his help to her as she battled alcoholism.

The dress was found in a trash bag above the faculty mail slots during a renovation of the school's Hartke Theater.

The lawyers for Catholic University will submit legal briefs defending the auction later this week, according to a statement by a lawyer for the school.

The temporary restraining order issued Monday by Gardephe is only effective until the hearing, so it does not prevent the auction from going forward unless the court grants the injunction request on the 23rd.

We look forward to the opportunity to present the overwhelming evidence supporting Catholic University's ownership of the dress to the Court next week, he said.

Barbara Hartke's lawyer and Bonham's did not respond to requests for comment.