{"argument_date":"2019-01-08T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2019-01-08T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2018","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Panner argued the phrase in Section 411(a) refers to the copyright owner's action.","Mr. Stris argued the Register must make a registration determination before an applicant can sue.","Chief Justice Roberts noted the second sentence of Section 411(a) discusses refused registration.","Justice Breyer compared the situation to hiring an unapproved plumber for home repairs."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 53-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 68, lines 53-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 31-33"}]}],"caption":"Fourth Estate Pub. Benefit Corp. v. Wall-Street.com, LLC","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:20.252708Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:20.277730Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Copyright holders dispute whether filing an application or receiving a government decision starts the clock for suing infringers.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 43-51"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2019-01-08T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2018","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/17-571.html","primary_docket":"17-571","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T18:01:37.628225Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["The case tests the meaning of a specific phrase in the Copyright Act. One side argues the phrase refers to the owner's filing action. The other side argues it requires a government decision first."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 43-51"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 8, 2019."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 53-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 68, lines 53-55"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to rule that filing an application satisfies the legal requirement to sue.","the opposing side wants the Court to rule that a government decision is required before a lawsuit can begin."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 43-51"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the statutory text links the phrase to the copyright owner's compliance with filing rules.","the opposing side argues the statutory text requires the Register of Copyrights to make a determination before suit."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 43-51"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Breyer asked if driving with an expired license is like suing after filing an application.","Justice Sotomayor asked if a suit requires accepted registration before proceeding in court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 53-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 68, lines 53-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 31-33"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines when copyright owners can enforce their rights in federal court. It sets the procedural trigger for all future infringement litigation. The outcome shapes the balance between administrative processing and private legal remedies."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 43-51"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 53-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 68, lines 53-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 31-33"}]}],"slug":"2018-17-571-fourth-estate-pub-benefit-corp-v-wall-street-com-llc","term":"2018","title":"Does filing a copyright application allow a lawsuit before the government acts?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 25-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-571_m6hn.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 43-51"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}