Unicolors, Inc v. H&M Hennes & Mauritz, LP
U.S. Supreme Court · decided February 24, 2022 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Decided
- February 24, 2022
- Term
- October Term 2021
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority author
- Justice Breyer
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Disposition
- Vacated and remanded
- Outcome
- Petitioning party won
- Ideological direction
- Conservative
Opinion excerpt
(Slip Opinion) OCTOBER TERM, 2021 1 Syllabus NOTE: Where it is feasible, a syllabus (headnote) will be released, as is being done in connection with this case, at the time the opinion is issued. The syllabus constitutes no part of the opinion of the Court but has been prepared by the Reporter of Decisions for the convenience of the reader. See United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co., 200 U. S. 321 , 337. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES Syllabus UNICOLORS, INC. v. H&M HENNES & MAURITZ, L. P. CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT No. 20–915. Argued November 8, 2021—Decided February 24, 2022 A valid copyright registration provides a copyright holder with important legal advantages, including the right to bring a “civil action for in- fringement” of the copyrighted work. 17 U. S. C. §411 (a). Petitioner Unicolors, the owner of copyrights in various fabric designs, filed a copy- right infringement action against H&M Hennes & Mauritz (H&M). A jury found in favor of Unicolors. H&M sought judgment as a matter of law, arguing that Unicolors could not maintain an infringement suit because Unicolors knowingly included inaccurate information on its registration application, rendering its copyright registration invalid. The alleged inaccuracy stemmed from Unicolors having filed a single application seeking registration for 31 separate works despite…
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