Schnapper v. Foley
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
667 F.2d 102 (1981)
- Written by Sarah Holley, JD
Facts
The Administrative Office of the United States Court commissioned public broadcasting station WQED to produce a series of television films dramatizing famous cases. The series was entitled Equal Justice Under the Law and was transmitted nationwide by the Public Broadcasting Service. In his complaint, Schnapper (plaintiff) alleged that the production contract required WQED to copyright the films and to assign the copyright to the government. Schnapper’s complaint sought to void the copyrights subsisting in Equal Justice Under the Law because the copyrights unlawfully restricted public access to the films and unlawfully prevented him from publishing the text of the films. The district court dismissed the complaint. Schnapper appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (McGowan, J.)
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