October Term 2023 · Docket 22-1078
Can copyright plaintiffs recover damages for acts older than three years?
Warner Chappell seeks damages for older acts. Nealy argues the three-year limit bars those claims.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official Court opinion 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
Shanmugam argued the three-year limit bars older damages.
Earnhardt argued the discovery rule was not decided below.
Dubin argued the main legal question assumes a discovery rule.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 23-47 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 23-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-51 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-51
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The dispute centers on the Copyright Act's three-year statute of limitations. the sides that brought the case want to recover damages for acts older than three years. the opposing sides argue the law bars those specific damages.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 39-51
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 21, 2024.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
What each side wants
Warner Chappell wants to recover damages for acts older than three years.
Nealy wants the Court to bar damages for acts older than three years.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 39-51
What each side says
Warner Chappell argues the statute allows damages for older acts.
Nealy argues the three-year limit strictly bars those damages.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 39-51
What the justices asked
Justice Thomas asked if lower courts ruled on the discovery rule.
Justice Sotomayor asked how the statute ties damages to the time limit.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 23-47 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 23-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-51 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-51
Why it matters
This case defines the scope of copyright damages. It determines how long plaintiffs can pursue older acts. It shapes the financial risk for copyright holders.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 39-51
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 39-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 23-47 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 23-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-51 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-51
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Verified official opinions and orders
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 39-51
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.