October Term 2016 · Docket 15-866
Can cheerleading uniform designs receive copyright protection?
The dispute centers on whether specific graphic designs on uniforms qualify as copyrightable art.
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
Star Athletica contends the designs are inseparable from the uniform's function.
Varsity Brands contends the designs are separable two-dimensional artwork.
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 10, lines 36-44 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 36-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 32-36 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 32-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 42-50 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 42-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-32 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 52-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 52-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 38-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 50-14 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 50-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 6-34 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 6-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 20-24 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 20-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 28-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 34-44 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 34-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 46-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 28-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 28-32 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 28-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 22-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 40-44 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 40-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 30-40 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 30-40
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the legal boundary between useful articles and artistic expression.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-32 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 38-48
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 31, 2016.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 28-30
What each side wants
Star Athletica wants the Court to deny copyright protection to the uniform designs.
Varsity Brands wants the Court to grant copyright protection to the uniform designs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-32 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 38-48
What each side says
Star Athletica argues Congress did not intend to grant a century-long monopoly on uniform design.
Varsity Brands argues Congress directed courts to protect applied art on useful articles.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-32 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 38-48
What the justices asked
Justice Kagan asked how the argument differs from a copyrightable tuxedo shirt design.
Justice Sotomayor asked how one could copyright anything under the side that brought the case's definition of utility.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 36-44 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 36-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 32-36 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 32-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 42-50 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 42-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 52-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 52-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 50-14 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 50-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 6-34 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 6-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 20-24 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 20-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 28-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 34-44 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 34-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 46-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 28-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 28-32 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 28-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 22-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 40-44 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 40-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 30-40 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 30-40
Why it matters
The outcome defines the scope of copyright protection for designs on functional clothing items.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-32 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 38-48
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 36-44 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 36-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 32-36 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 32-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 42-50 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 42-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 52-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 52-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 50-14 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 50-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 6-34 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 6-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 20-24 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 20-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 28-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 34-44 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 34-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 46-46 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 46-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 28-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 28-32 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 28-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 22-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 40-44 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 40-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 30-40 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 30-40
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 26, lines 42-32 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 38-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 42-32 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 42-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 38-48 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 38-48
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.