Legal Brief Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Legal Brief - Assignment Example f Sony to Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, which ruled in favor of Universal City Studios and others and finally moved to US Supreme which ruled in favor of Sony. The provisions relating to unfair competition of the Lamham Act were applicable to this case in addition to 17 U.S.C. Â § 101 (Copyright Act of 1976). The fair use doctrine for use of copyrighted content, the provisions for copyright infringement in addition to provisions 17 U.S.C. Â § 106, which grants the copyright owners several rights were applicable for giving a verdict in every issue that was raised in this suit. The primary issue that was raised in his suit was whether Sony Corp. was liable for contributory copyright infringement by manufacturing the product named Betamax. The other issue was that whether Betamax itself was a product which could facilitate copyright infringement or it was a product whose purpose was to facilitate legitimate use by the copyright owners. This issue had to be determined in order to find answers to the first issue. The case first moved to the Federal District Court, where Sony Corp. won the case against its plaintiffs. The plaintiffs Universal Studios and Walt Disney then appealed to the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where decision was passed in favor of the appellants Universal Studios and Walt Disney. Sony Corp. then finally decided to move the US Supreme Court for decision on the issue. The US Supreme Court ruled in favor of Sony Corp. by a 5-4 majority. Thus Sony Corp. was allowed to manufacture Betamax and later a product named VHS in US without becoming liable for copyright infringement and without being liable to pay any damages. The case establishes general rule in favor of technological development and favors the right of the general public to make rightful owners of copyright to make copies through technical devices for their own personal use. The general rule established in this case was that by manufacturing a product which can be used to