Double Shot’s Last Call: Will SCOTUS Review Worldwide Copyright Termination?
Four major music publishers purchased a disputed copyright and filed a petition for Supreme Court review of a Fifth Circuit ruling that extends U.S. copyright termination rights worldwide. They hired former Solicitor General Paul Clement, while songwriter Cyril Vetter retained Josh Rosenkranz, the lawyer who recently won a landmark case for creators. The petition argues the appellate decision misreads the statute and threatens decades‑old publishing contracts. A grant of cert would force the nation’s highest court to settle whether termination can travel beyond U.S. borders.
Kat Von D Tattoo Case Headed for En Banc Review
The Ninth Circuit has granted an en banc rehearing in *Sedlik v. Von Drachenberg*, vacating the earlier panel opinion and reopening the long‑standing “total concept and feel” test for substantial similarity. The case stems from Kat Von D’s tattoo of a Jeffrey Sedlik...
Judge’s First Take Favors Denims—But Will It Survive the Recut?
A draft ruling in Ted Entertainment v. Saber finds Twitch streamer Denims’ four‑hour reaction livestream to Ethan Klein’s *Content Nuke* documentary fair use as a matter of law. The judge applied three of the four fair‑use factors in Denims’ favor,...
Cox and Effect: Why Volitional Conduct Is AI Copyright’s Next Battleground
The Supreme Court’s March 25 ruling in Cox Communications v. Sony Music dramatically narrowed secondary liability for ISPs, prompting record labels to drop major piracy suits against Verizon, Altice and Grande Communications. With contributory infringement pathways largely closed, litigators are...
Tenth Circuit Redeems Itself in ‘Tiger King’ Fair Use Case
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 79‑page replacement opinion that affirms Netflix’s fair‑use defense for the 66‑second funeral clip used in its documentary *Tiger King*. The court found that all four fair‑use factors favor Netflix, emphasizing the...
This Little Piggy Went to Trial (And Got Just $200 and No Fees)
Prepared Food Photos, Inc., a stock food‑photo company known for aggressive copyright enforcement, sued a Milwaukee grocery store over a single pork‑chop image. The jury awarded only $200 in actual damages and $1,000 in statutory damages, far below the $23,976...