No. 18-956October Term 2020Decided Apr 5, 2021
Docket 18-956October Term 2020 (2020–2021)
Google LLC v. Oracle America, Inc.
This case involves a copyright dispute over Google's use of Oracle's Java programming code.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 5, 2021
Case Accepted
Arguments
Decision ReleasedApr 5, 2021
- What it's about
This case involves a copyright dispute over Google's use of Oracle's Java programming code. The Supreme Court ruled that Google's limited copying of the Java API constituted a fair use under copyright law.
Question presented
Whether the copied lines are copyrightable.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit / Decision released Apr 5, 2021
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Timing
Decided April 5, 2021
The Court released its decision on April 5, 2021 without hearing oral argument.
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- May 31, 2026
- Method
- Methodology