The U.S. Supreme Court is about to play a vital role in determining the fortunes of the music industry.
Its decision in the so-called Grokster case will finally clarify the industry’s ability to control peer-to-peer technology through existing law.
In so doing, the court will influence the industry at every level, including its ability to invest in artists and songwriters, entertainment industry lawyers say.
The High Court on Dec. 10 gave the nod to record labels, music publishers, songwriters and major motion picture studios, agreeing to review the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that ruled that P2P operators Grokster and StreamCast were not liable for copyright infringements by users of their file-sharing technology.
Gregory Garre, a partner with Hogan & Hartson in Washington, D.C., highlights the significance of the court’s decision to hear the case. Only about 100 cases out of roughly 8,000 petitions filed each year are granted review by the court, he says.
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