Copyright Developments

In Unicolors, Inc. v. H&M Hennes & Mauritz, L.P., Case No. 20–915, 595 U. S. ____ (2022), the U.S. Supreme Court held that the safe harbor provision provided under § 411(b) of the Copyright Act does not distinguish between a mistake of law and a mistake of fact.  Lack of either factual or legal knowledge can excuse an inaccuracy in a copyright registration.

The Supreme Court vacated the judgment of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and remanded the case for further proceedings.