There has been a significant development in the copyright case involving one of Netflix’s most watched series, “Tiger King”. A former employee from the zoo featured in the series sued Netflix for copyright infringement over the livestreaming of a funeral ceremony. In a recent turn of events, a judgment that initially favored Netflix has now been overruled by the Tenth Circuit.
Basing its decision on the precedent created by last year’s landmark decision in the Supreme Court’s Warhol case, the Tenth Circuit opted to set aside a win Netflix had secured on grounds of fair use. This shift in judgment complicates Netflix’s legal standing and leaves room for a possible appeal by the media streaming giant. Given the stakes involved and the profile of the case, it can be expected that further developments within the legal proceedings will be closely watched by legal professionals and corporations alike.
The ruling in the Warhol case set a valuable benchmark for copyright cases, emphasizing cautious evaluation of ‘fair use’ justifications. Observers within the legal community agree that this recent development in the ‘Tiger King’ case may have far-reaching consequences and certainly offers plenty of food for thought for those dealing with copyright law on a regular basis.