October Term 2013 · Docket 13-461
Does Aereo's cloud TV service count as a public performance?
Broadcasters claim Aereo's cloud TV service violates copyright law. Aereo argues its technology avoids public performance rules.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — 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
Paul Clement argued Aereo's model enables strangers to watch live TV online.
Clement stated Congress passed a statute that forecloses Aereo's legal argument.
Aereo's counsel argued the service is not a public performance under the law.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 10-22 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 10-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 34-28 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 34-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-40 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 50-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-42 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 44-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 44-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-34 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 52-10 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 52-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 51-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 51-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 18-28 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 18-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 44-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 30-32 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 30-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-38 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 50-16 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 50-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 14-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 14-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 38-44 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 38-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 22-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 26-42 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 26-42
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Aereo uses tiny antennas to stream live TV to subscribers. Broadcasters say this is a public performance. Aereo says it is private viewing.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 34-28 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 34-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-40 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 50-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-42 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 51-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 51-10
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 22, 2014.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 16-20
What each side wants
Broadcasters want the Court to find Aereo liable for copyright infringement.
Aereo wants the Court to find its service is not a public performance.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 34-28 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 34-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-40 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 50-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-42 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 51-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 51-10
What each side says
Broadcasters argue Aereo's service is the functional equivalent of a public performance.
Aereo argues its technology allows private viewing without public performance.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 34-28 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 34-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-40 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 50-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-42 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 51-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 51-10
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked how the ruling applies to services like Dropbox.
Justice Breyer suggested the Court might remand the case for further review.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 10-22 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 10-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 44-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 44-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-34 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 52-10 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 52-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 18-28 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 18-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 44-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 30-32 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 30-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-38 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 50-16 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 50-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 14-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 14-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 38-44 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 38-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 22-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 26-42 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 26-42
Why it matters
This case defines the scope of public performance rights. It determines how cloud-based media services operate legally. It affects the balance between copyright holders and technology providers.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 34-28 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 34-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-40 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 50-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-42 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 51-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 51-10
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 10, lines 10-22 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 10-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 44-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 44-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-34 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 22-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 52-10 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 52-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 46-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 46-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 18-28 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 18-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 44-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 30-32 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 30-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-38 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 50-16 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 50-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 14-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 14-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 38-44 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 38-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-24 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 22-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 26-42 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 26-42
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 19, lines 34-28 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 34-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-40 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 50-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-42 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 51-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 51-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 34-28 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 34-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-40 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 50-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-42 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 51-10 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 51-10
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.