No. 20-915
Unicolors, Inc. v. H&M Hennes & Mauritz, L.P.
Tags: administrative-procedure circuit-court-precedent civil-procedure copyright-law copyright-office copyright-registration ninth-circuit publication-standard registration-requirements standing statutory-interpretation
Key Terms:
Copyright
Copyright
Latest Conference:
2021-05-27
(distributed 3 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)
Did the Ninth Circuit err in its interpretation of 17 U.S.C. § 411 regarding referral to the Copyright Office?
Question Presented (OCR Extract)
QUESTIONS PRESENTED 1. Did the Ninth Circuit err in breaking with its own prior precedent and the findings of other circuits and the Copyright Office in holding that 17 U.S.C. § 411 requires referral to the Copyright Office where there is no indicia of fraud or material error as to the work at issue in the subject copyright registration? 2. Did the Ninth Circuit misapply the publication standard by both applying Copyright Office requirements that were not in place at the time of registration and analyzing publication as of the date of registration as opposed to the later registration application date, and, if so, did the evidence support referral to the Copyright Office? ii II.
Docket Entries
2022-03-28
JUDGMENT ISSUED.
2022-02-24
Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED. Breyer, J., delivered the <a href = 'https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-915_pol1.pdf'>opinion</a> of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Sotomayor, Kagan, Kavanaugh, and Barrett, JJ., joined. Thomas, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Alito, J., joined, and in which Gorsuch, J., joined, except as to Part II.
2021-11-08
Argued. For petitioner: E. Joshua Rosenkranz, New York, N. Y.; and Melissa N. Patterson, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) For respondent: Peter K. Stris, Los Angeles, Cal.
2021-10-18
The time for oral argument is allotted as follows: 20 minutes for petitioner, 15 minutes for the Acting Solicitor General, and 35 minutes for respondent.
2021-10-14
Reply of petitioner Unicolors, Inc. filed. (Distributed)
2021-10-14
The record from the U.S.C.A. 9th Circuit is electronic and located on Pacer.
2021-10-12
Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae, for divided argument, and for enlargement of time for oral argument GRANTED.
2021-09-28
Brief amici curiae of California Fashion Association filed. (Distributed)
2021-09-28
Brief amici curiae of Professors of Copyright Law filed. (Distributed)
2021-09-28
Brief amici curiae of Center for Democracy & Technology and Electronic Frontier Foundation filed. (Distributed)
2021-09-28
Brief amici curiae of Andrew D. Lockton and McHale & Slavin, P.A. filed. (Distributed)
2021-09-28
Brief amicus curiae of Victoria Burke filed. (Distributed)
2021-09-28
Brief amicus curiae of National Retail Federation filed. (Distributed)
2021-09-27
Brief amicus curiae of New York Intellectual Property Law Association filed. (Distributed)
2021-09-22
Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae, for divided argument, and for enlargement of time for oral argument filed.
2021-09-21
Brief of respondents H&M Hennes & Mauritz, L.P., et al. filed. (Distributed)
2021-09-21
CIRCULATED
2021-09-01
Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 9th Circuit.
2021-08-16
ARGUMENT SET FOR Monday, November 8, 2021.
2021-08-10
Brief amicus curiae of American Intellectual Property Law Association filed.
2021-08-10
Brief amicus curiae of the United States filed.
2021-08-10
Brief amici curiae of Intellectual Property Law Professors filed.
2021-08-10
Brief amici curiae of American Society of Media Photographers and California Society of Entertainment Lawyers filed.
2021-08-10
Brief amicus curiae of The Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago in support of neither party filed.
2021-08-10
Brief amicus curiae of Copyright Alliance filed.
2021-08-03
Joint appendix filed. (Statement of cost filed)
2021-08-03
Brief of petitioner Unicolors, Inc. filed.
2021-07-19
Blanket Consent filed by Respondent, H&M Hennes & Mauritz, L.P., et al.
2021-07-13
Blanket Consent filed by Petitioner, Unicolors, Inc.
2021-07-12
Motion to extend the time to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including August 3, 2021. The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including September 21, 2021.
2021-06-25
Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits filed.
2021-06-01
Petition GRANTED limited to Question 1 presented by the petition.
2021-05-24
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/27/2021.
2021-05-04
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/20/2021.
2021-05-03
Reply of petitioner Unicolors, Inc. filed. (Distributed)
2021-04-13
Motion to delay distribution of the petition for a writ certiorari until May 4, 2021 granted.
2021-04-12
Motion of petitioner to delay distribution of the petition for a writ of certiorari under Rule 15.5 from April 21, 2021 to May 4, 2021, submitted to The Clerk.
2021-04-01
Brief of respondents H&M Hennes & Mauritz, L.P., et al. in opposition filed.
2021-03-11
Brief amici curiae of American Society of Media Photographers and California Society of Entertainment Lawyers filed.
2021-03-05
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including April 1, 2021.
2021-03-04
Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 11, 2021 to April 1, 2021, submitted to The Clerk.
2021-02-09
Response Requested. (Due March 11, 2021)
2021-01-27
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/19/2021.
2021-01-19
Waiver of right of respondent H&M Hennes & Mauritz, L.P., et al. to respond filed.
2021-01-04
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due February 8, 2021)
Attorneys
American Intellectual Property Law Association
Nancy J. Mertzel — Mertzel Law PLLC, Amicus
Nancy J. Mertzel — Mertzel Law PLLC, Amicus
American Society of Media Photographers and California Society of Entertainment Lawyers
Andrew D. Lockton and McHale & Slavin, P.A.
Edward Fortune McHale — McHale & Slavin, P.A., Amicus
Edward Fortune McHale — McHale & Slavin, P.A., Amicus
California Fashion Association
Morgan Elliott Pietz — Pietz & Shahriari, LLP, Amicus
Morgan Elliott Pietz — Pietz & Shahriari, LLP, Amicus
Jeffrey Lewis — Jeff Lewis Law, Amicus
Jeffrey Lewis — Jeff Lewis Law, Amicus
Center for Democracy & Technology and Electronic Frontier Foundation
Copyright Alliance
Kelly M. Klaus — Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, Amicus
Kelly M. Klaus — Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, Amicus
H&M Hennes & Mauritz LP
Staci Jennifer Riordan — Nixon Peabody LLP, Respondent
Staci Jennifer Riordan — Nixon Peabody LLP, Respondent
H&M Hennes & Mauritz, L.P., et al.
Peter K. Stris — Stris and Maher LLP, Respondent
Peter K. Stris — Stris and Maher LLP, Respondent
Intellectual Property Law Professors
National Retail Federation
New York Intellectual Property Law Association
Professors of Copyright Law
The Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago
Unicolors, Inc.
E. Joshua Rosenkranz — Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Petitioner
E. Joshua Rosenkranz — Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Petitioner
Scott Alan Burroughs — Doniger / Burroughs APC, Petitioner
Scott Alan Burroughs — Doniger / Burroughs APC, Petitioner
United States
Elizabeth B. Prelogar — Solicitor General, Amicus
Elizabeth B. Prelogar — Solicitor General, Amicus
Victoria Burke
John Paul O'Herron — ThompsonMcMullan, P.C., Amicus
John Paul O'Herron — ThompsonMcMullan, P.C., Amicus