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Bob Dylan

German Federal Supreme Court
18 IIC 418 (1985)

Written by Sarah Holley, JD

Facts

Bob Dylan (plaintiff) was an American citizen and famous singer and songwriter. CBS, Inc. (CBS) (plaintiff) was an American corporation engaged in the recording, production, and distribution of phonographs records and audio tapes. Dylan was under contract with CBS, which in part granted to CBS the exclusive right to produce sound recordings of Dylan’s performances, to distribute them worldwide, and to transfer its rights to its subsidiaries as exclusive rights of exploitation. Dylan, CBS, and CBS’s German subsidiary brought suit against a wholesale distributor of sound recordings (defendant) to prevent the sale in Germany of bootleg sound recordings of live performances of Dylan in the United States. Dylan sought national treatment (i.e., the same treatment as a German recording artist) for protection and invoked the rights of the performing artist under German copyright law.

Rule of Law

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Issue

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Holding and Reasoning ()

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Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

Facts

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning ()

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