Warner Chappell Music, Inc. v. Nealy
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A short, plain-English overview of Warner Chappell Music, Inc. v. Nealy.
The Supreme Court affirmed the Eleventh Circuit's decision, allowing copyright owners to obtain monetary relief for any timely infringement claim, regardless of when the infringement occurred. The Court assumed, without deciding, that claims accrue upon discovery of the infringement, and found no separate three-year limit on recovering damages. The decision clarifies that the Copyright Act's statute of limitations does not impose a time limit on monetary recovery.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in Warner Chappell Music, Inc. v. Nealy.
The Court held that the Copyright Act entitles a copyright owner to obtain monetary relief for any timely infringement claim, no matter when the infringement occurred.
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in Warner Chappell Music, Inc. v. Nealy that support the summary and concepts above.
The Copyright Act entitles a copyright owner to obtain monetary relief for any timely infringement claim, no matter when the infringement occurred.
There is no time limit on monetary recovery.
The Court granted certiorari in this case on the assumption that such claims may be timely under the Act's limitations provision.
