Sony Corp Case Summary
Property: Real, Personal and Intellectual
The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Property: Real, Personal and Intellectual
In SONY CORP. v. UNIVERSAL CITY STUDIOS, INC., 464 U.S. 417 (1984) 104 S. Ct. 774, Sony Corporation was the petitioner and Universal Studios was the respondent”1. This was an appeal to a higher court, after a lower court decision. “The case dealt with Sony Corp. being sued for manufactured video tape recorders (VTR 's) infringing on Universal Studios copyrighted materials that were broadcasted on the public airwaves. "Respondents brought an action against petitioners alleging that VTR consumers had been recording copyrighted works.
The question presented in the above case is whether the sale of copying equipment to the general public violates any of the rights granted under the Copyright Act.
The outcome was that the sale of VTR 's to the general public did not constitute contributory infringement of respondents ' copyrights. According to the information presented within the decision, it was explained that since intellectual property such as copyrights, is statutory in …show more content…
The District Court regarded the copying as fair use since there is no accompanying reduction in the market for the original work. This was a very contentious case since the District Court denied Sony’s relief they sought and entered judgment for petitioners. 480 F. Supp. 429 (1979). The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the District Court 's judgment on the copyright claim, holding Sony liable for contributory infringement and ordering the District Court to fashion appropriate relief. 659 F.2d 963 (1981). The US Supreme Court certiorari, 457 U.S. 1116 (1982); with 463 U.S. 1226 (1983) reversing the Appeals
The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Property: Real, Personal and Intellectual
In SONY CORP. v. UNIVERSAL CITY STUDIOS, INC., 464 U.S. 417 (1984) 104 S. Ct. 774, Sony Corporation was the petitioner and Universal Studios was the respondent”1. This was an appeal to a higher court, after a lower court decision. “The case dealt with Sony Corp. being sued for manufactured video tape recorders (VTR 's) infringing on Universal Studios copyrighted materials that were broadcasted on the public airwaves. "Respondents brought an action against petitioners alleging that VTR consumers had been recording copyrighted works.
The question presented in the above case is whether the sale of copying equipment to the general public violates any of the rights granted under the Copyright Act.
The outcome was that the sale of VTR 's to the general public did not constitute contributory infringement of respondents ' copyrights. According to the information presented within the decision, it was explained that since intellectual property such as copyrights, is statutory in …show more content…
The District Court regarded the copying as fair use since there is no accompanying reduction in the market for the original work. This was a very contentious case since the District Court denied Sony’s relief they sought and entered judgment for petitioners. 480 F. Supp. 429 (1979). The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the District Court 's judgment on the copyright claim, holding Sony liable for contributory infringement and ordering the District Court to fashion appropriate relief. 659 F.2d 963 (1981). The US Supreme Court certiorari, 457 U.S. 1116 (1982); with 463 U.S. 1226 (1983) reversing the Appeals