SKIDMORE v. ZEPPELIN

Nos. 16-56057, 16-56287.

905 F.3d 1116 (2018)

Michael SKIDMORE, as Trustee for the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Led ZEPPELIN; James Patrick Page; Robert Anthony Plant; John Paul Jones; Super Hype Publishing, Inc.; Warner Music Group Corporation; Warner Chappell Music, Inc.; Atlantic Recording Corporation; Rhino Entertainment Company, Defendants-Appellees. Michael Skidmore, as Trustee for the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Defendant-Appellant, and Led Zeppelin; James Patrick Page; Robert Anthony Plant; John Paul Jones; Super Hype Publishing, Inc.; Warner Music Group Corporation, Atlantic Recording Corporation; Rhino Entertainment Company, Defendants.

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

Filed September 28, 2018.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Francis Malofiy (argued) and Alfred Joseph Fluehr , Francis Alexander LLC, Media, Pennsylvania, for Plaintiff-Appellant.

Peter J. Anderson (argued), Law Offices of Peter J. Anderson, Santa Monica, California; Helens M. Freeman , Phillips Nizer LLP, New York, New York; for Defendants-Appellees.

Before: Richard A. Paez and Sandra S. Ikuta, Circuit Judges, and Eric N. Vitaliano, District Judge.


OPINION

This copyright case involves a claim that Led Zeppelin copied key portions of its timeless hit "Stairway to Heaven" from the song "Taurus," which was written by Spirit band member Randy Wolfe. Years after Wolfe's death, the trustee of the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust, Michael Skidmore, brought this suit for copyright...

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