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Bridgeport Music, Inc. Westbound Records, Inc., Southfield Music, Inc. Nine Records, Inc. v. Dimension Films Miramax Film Corp., No Limit Films Llc, Bridgeport Music, Inc. Southfield Music, Inc. Nine Records, Inc., Westbound Records, Inc. v. Dimension Films, No Limit Films LLC Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The Sixth Circuit held that any unauthorized digital sampling of a copyrighted sound recording constitutes infringement, regardless of the amount taken, rejecting a de minimis defense for such acts.
Legal Significance: This case established a bright-line rule in the Sixth Circuit: for copyrighted sound recordings, any digital sampling without a license is copyright infringement.
Bridgeport Music, Inc. Westbound Records, Inc., Southfield Music, Inc. Nine Records, Inc. v. Dimension Films Miramax Film Corp., No Limit Films Llc, Bridgeport Music, Inc. Southfield Music, Inc. Nine Records, Inc., Westbound Records, Inc. v. Dimension Films, No Limit Films LLC Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Plaintiffs, including Westbound Records, Inc., owned the sound recording copyright for “Get Off Your Ass and Jam” by George Clinton, Jr. and the Funkadelics. Defendants, including No Limit Films, released the movie I Got the Hook Up, the soundtrack of which included the rap song “100 Miles and Runnin’.” This song contained a digitally sampled two-second, three-note arpeggiated guitar chord from “Get Off.” The sample was pitch-lowered, looped, and extended to 16 beats, appearing five times in “100 Miles,” with each looped segment lasting approximately seven seconds. The district court found the sampled portion original and creative but granted summary judgment to the defendant on Westbound’s sound recording infringement claim, reasoning that the sampling was de minimis and therefore not actionable. Westbound appealed, arguing that no de minimis inquiry should apply to digital sampling of sound recordings.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does the unauthorized digital sampling of any portion of a copyrighted sound recording constitute copyright infringement per se, without regard to a de minimis analysis or substantial similarity?
Yes, the unauthorized digital sampling of a copyrighted sound recording constitutes copyright Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Does the unauthorized digital sampling of any portion of a copyrighted sound recording constitute copyright infringement per se, without regard to a de minimis analysis or substantial similarity?
Conclusion
This landmark decision established a strict liability standard for the digital sampling Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitati
Legal Rule
Under 17 U.S.C. § 114(b), the exclusive right of a sound recording Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit ess
Legal Analysis
The court's decision rested primarily on its interpretation of 17 U.S.C. § Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- Established a bright-line rule for digital sampling of sound recordings: **”Get