October Term 2012 · Docket 11-697
Does U.S. copyright law restrict the resale of books made abroad?
The dispute centers on whether the first-sale doctrine applies to copyrighted works manufactured outside the United States.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
The publisher's advocate argued that the statute targets international gray markets.
The importer's advocate argued that the phrase lawfully made under this title is ambiguous.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-27 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 43-3 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 43-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-29 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 7-13
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of the first-sale doctrine. It asks if copyright holders can block the resale of lawfully made foreign copies.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 21-35
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 29, 2012.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
What each side wants
The importer wants to resell foreign-made books without permission.
The publisher wants to block the resale of foreign-made books.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 21-35
What each side says
The importer argues that the first-sale doctrine applies to all lawfully made copies.
The publisher argues that the statute only covers copies made under U.S. law.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 21-35
What the justices asked
Justice Kagan asked if the statute defines non-piratical copies by U.S. law.
Justice Ginsburg asked how the case would resolve in the European Union.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-27 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 43-3 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 43-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-29 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 7-13
Why it matters
This case determines whether copyright holders control the global market for their works. It affects the price and availability of imported goods for consumers.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 21-35
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-27 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 43-3 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 43-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-29 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 7-13
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 21-35
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.