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Home > Sony Corp. v. Universal City Studios


 

Sony Corp v. Universal City Studios, 464 U.S. 417 ( 1984) (Docket Number: 81-1687), is also known as the Betamax case. The Supreme Court of the United States found that the making of individual copies of complete television shows for home use is considered fair use, and that the manufacture of devices, such as Betamax or VCRs, to facilitate that is legal. Arguments were presented on January 18, 1983, and re-presented on October 3, 1983. The decision was announced on January 17, 1984.

1 Facts

Sony developed Betamax, a video tape recording format ( VHS would later outcompete Betamax). Universal sued Sony, alleging that because they (Sony/Betamax) were manufacturing a device that could potentially be used for copyright infringement, they were thus liable for any infringement that did occur.

2 Supreme Court holding

The court ruled 5-4 in favor of Sony ( StevensJohn Paul Stevens (born April 20, 1920) is an American jurist, who has been a U. Supreme Court Associate Justice since 1975. Stevens was born in Chicago, Illinois. He married Maryan Mulholland, and has four children: John Joseph (deceased), Kathryn, Eliza, BurgerWarren Earl Burger ( September 17, 1907 June 25, 1995) was Chief Justice of the United States from 1969 to 1986, longer than anyone else in the 20th century. His court delivered major decisions on abortion, capital punishment and school desegregation., BrennanWilliam Joseph Brennan ( April 25, 1906 July 24, 1997) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He believed in the "essential dignity and worth of each individual," his words from a 1987 speech. Brennan was the second of eight c, O'ConnorSandra Day O'Connor (born March 26, 1930) has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1981. She is the first woman to serve on the Court. Due to her case-by-case approach to jurisprudence and her relatively moderate polit, and WhiteByron Raymond White ( June 8, 1917 April 15, 2002) won fame both as a bruising running back and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Appointed to the court by John F. Kennedy in 1962, he served until his retirement in 1993. in agreement. Marshall, Powell, Rehnquist, and Blackmun dissenting)

3 Reasons

...to be added...

3.1 Majority opinion

...to be added....

3.2 Dissenting opinion

...to be added....

4 Subsequent history

Many of the same points of law that were litigated in this case are still being argued in various cases, particularly in light of recent peer-to-peer lawsuits. The DMCA modified the law this decision was based upon in several ways, and new interpretations are constantly being handed down.



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