Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., Inc.
499 U.S. 340 · Decided March 27, 1991 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., Inc. was decided on March 27, 1991 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Copyrights” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 499 U.S. 340 · 111 S. Ct. 1282 · 113 L. Ed. 2d 358 · 1991 U.S. LEXIS 1856
- Docket number
- 89-1909
- Decided
- March 27, 1991
- Argued
- January 9, 1991
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Copyrights
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- 17 U.S.C. § 102
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Special concurrence | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Majority |
Full case caption
Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., Inc.
SCDB identifiers: case 1990-054, docket 1990-054-01.
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Other cases on “Copyrights”
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- Luther R. Campbell aka Luke Skyywalker v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc.
- Lotus Development Corporation v. Borland International, Inc.
- Harper & Row v. Nation Enterprises
- Mills Music, Inc. v. Snyder
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Mercedel W. Miles v. Apex Marine Corporation
- Jay Palmer v. BRG of Georgia, Inc.
- Arcadia v. Ohio Power Company
- Coy R. Grogan v. Frank J. Garner, Jr.
- McDermott International, Inc. v. Jon C. Wilander
- Trinova Corporation v. Michigan Department of Treasury
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error