The Supreme Court made a significant ruling on Thursday in a case involving copyright infringement of music dating back to the 1980s. The case centered around a track by rapper Flo Rida titled “In the Ayer” that incorporated elements from a song called “Jam the Box” created by Tony Butler, also known as Pretty Tony, in the 1980s.
Butler's former business partner, Sherman Nealy, alleged that he never authorized the use of the music and was unaware of its inclusion in the Flo Rida track due to his incarceration during that period. Nealy filed a lawsuit in 2018 against Warner Chappell Music, Inc., and Artist Publishing Group seeking damages for the unauthorized use of the music.
The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals had previously ruled in favor of Nealy, allowing him to sue for damages dating back to 2008, despite the standard three-year statute of limitations in copyright law. The Supreme Court upheld this decision in a 6-3 majority opinion written by Justice Elena Kagan.
One key issue in the case was the interpretation of when the three-year window for filing a lawsuit begins in copyright infringement cases. Some federal courts have allowed plaintiffs to initiate legal action from the point they become aware of the infringement, rather than when it occurred. Nealy argued that he only discovered the unauthorized use of the music in 2016 due to his time in prison.
During oral arguments in February, several justices raised concerns about the timing of lawsuits in copyright cases and whether courts should permit claims beyond the standard three-year limit. The Supreme Court's decision focused on the broader question of the timeframe for seeking damages in copyright infringement cases.
Justice Neil Gorsuch authored a dissenting opinion in the case, highlighting differing views on the interpretation of copyright law and the statute of limitations for filing lawsuits in such matters.
The ruling sets a precedent for how courts may handle similar cases involving copyright infringement and the timeline for seeking damages in instances where the plaintiff becomes aware of the infringement after it occurs.
