On Monday, June 25, the United States Supreme Court ruled that free-lance writers retain the right to control whether articles they sold for print in a regular newspapers or magazines may be reproduced in electronic form.

By a margin of 7-2 the court ruled that compilation in an electronic database is different from other kinds of storage of material that once appeared in print. This means that copyright laws require media companies to get the permission of free-lancers before posting their work online.

Justices Stephen Breyer and John Paul Stevens cast the dissenting votes.

Six free-lance writers, including Jonathan Tasini, president of the National Writers Union, sued The New York Times, Newsday, Time Magazine Inc, Lexis/Nexis, and University Microfilms International starting in 1993. The initial ruling was for the publishers in 1997, but was overturned by an appeals court in 1999.

Past articles:

New York Times requests en banc review of Tasini ruling October 29, 1999

Major victory for author's rights September 25, 1999

Caveat Scriptor: Tasini Decision Encourages Rights Grab The Bulletin, Summer 1999

June-25-2001