
Bobbs-Merrill Co. v. Straus
United States Supreme Court
210 U.S. 339 (1908)
Relevant factsFree
Bobbs-Merrill (plaintiff) held the copyright to a book and printed a notice below the copyright line requiring retail sale at no less than $1. Straus and his company, R.H. Macy & Co. (defendants), bought copies for retail and sold them for $0.89 each. Bobbs-Merrill sued for an injunction against sales below $1, and the circuit court dismissed the suit; Bobbs-Merrill appealed.
IssueFree
Whether the lawful purchaser of a copy of a copyrighted work may resell that copy without further permission from the copyright owner.
Related cases
Vernor v. Autodesk, Inc.621 F.3d 1102 (2010)Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.568 U.S. 519 (2013)UMG Recordings, Inc. v. Augusto628 F.3d 1175 (2011)Dastar Corp. v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.539 U.S. 23 (2003)Quality King Distributors, Inc. v. L'anza Research International, Inc.523 U.S. 135 (1998)