Four Supreme Court Justices Recuse in Music Copyright Case, Leaving No Quorum

This week, a music copyright case did not advance to the U.S. Supreme Court because there was no quorum, as justices Sonia Sotomayor, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson stepped aside, likely due to financial connections with Penguin Random House, one of the involved parties. Gabe Roth from Fix the Court pointed out that federal regulations mandate recusal when financial interests are involved. Notable attorneys Paul Clement and Lisa Blatt submitted briefs, and significant publishing and entertainment organizations urged the court to consider the matter concerning foreign copyright ownership. Experts labeled the scenario as an institutional problem, advocating for reforms, while Tim Kappel emphasized the recusal's effects on copyright legislation.