In The Coca-Cola Company v. Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd., the Delhi High Court ruled that Bisleri International had no legal grounds to continue using the Maaza trademark after assigning the rights to Coca-Cola in 1993. The court upheld the validity of the assignment deed, affirming Coca-Cola’s e

In DC Comics v. Mark Towle, the Ninth Circuit ruled that the Batmobile, as a distinctive and recognizable character associated with Batman, is eligible for copyright protection. Despite design changes over time, the Batmobile maintained consistent traits such as bat-like features and high-tech eleme

In Klaus Mittelbachert v. East India Hotels Ltd. (AIR 1997 Del 201), the Delhi High Court held a luxury hotel liable for negligence after a Lufthansa co-pilot was severely injured while diving into the hotel’s swimming pool. The court emphasized that high-end hotels are expected to maintain higher s

In the case of Taj Mahal Hotel v. United India Insurance Co. Ltd., the Supreme Court of India held that hotels are liable for the theft of vehicles left with their valet services, establishing a bailor-bailee relationship. The court emphasized that hotels cannot contract out of this liability throug

In the case of Khan Gul v. Lakha Singh (1928), the Lahore High Court ruled that even if a minor misrepresents their age, they retain the right to avoid contractual obligations under the Indian Contract Act. However, they cannot retain benefits from such void agreements and must make restitution. The

In Vinesh Phogat v. United World Wrestling & I.O.C., the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed Phogat’s appeal against her disqualification from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Phogat was disqualified for exceeding the 50 kg weight limit by 100 grams before the finals of the Women’s Freestyle even

In the case of Union of India v. West Coast Paper Mills Ltd., the Supreme Court of India ruled that the period of limitation for filing a suit should be computed from the date of final adjudication by the highest court, not from the initial tribunal order. This decision reinforced the principle that

In Soman v. State of Kerala (2012), the Supreme Court of India emphasized that sentencing should be fair, just, and proportionate, considering the nature of the crime, the circumstances of the offender, and the impact on the victim. The Court underscored that sentencing in criminal cases must strike

The Calcutta High Court, in Shree Venkatesh Films Pvt. Ltd v. Vipul Amrutlal Shah & Ors (2009), addressed copyright infringement concerning the Bengali film “Poran Jaye Joliya Rae” and the Hindi film “Namastey London.” The court found substantial similarity between the two films, determining that th

In The Chancellor, Masters & Scholars of the University of Oxford & Ors. v. Rameshwari Photocopy Services & Anr., the Delhi High Court ruled that reproducing copyrighted material for educational purposes, including creating course packs, does not constitute copyright infringement under Section 52(1)

The Delhi High Court in Ratna Sagar Private Limited v. Trisea Publications held that copyright protection extends to the originality in the presentation and expression of material, not just the underlying ideas or concepts. The court found substantial similarities between Ratna Sagar’s “LIVING SCIEN

The Diamond v. Chakraborty case marked a significant turning point in U.S. patent law, with the Supreme Court ruling that a genetically engineered bacterium is patentable under 35 U.S.C. 101. The decision affirmed that human-made living organisms, as products of human ingenuity, fall within the scop

In Najma Heptulla v. M/s. Orient Longman Ltd., the Delhi High Court ruled that both Maulana Azad and Prof. Kabir were joint authors of the book “India Wins Freedom” due to their intellectual collaboration. The court emphasized that authorship in copyright law involves both the provision of ideas and

In the case Shruti Agnihotri v. Anand Kumar Srivastava, the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) held that a marriage certificate is valid proof of a Hindu marriage only if the marriage ceremonies, including saptapadi, were duly performed. The Court found that the respondent failed to prove the marr

The Harvey v. Facey case underscores the significance of clear and explicit communication in forming contracts. In this 1893 decision by the Privy Council, the court ruled that Mr. Facey’s response to Mr. Harvey’s inquiry about purchasing property did not constitute a binding offer but merely provid

In Star India Pvt. Ltd. v. Piyush Agarwal & Ors., the Delhi High Court addressed the conflict between proprietary commercial rights and constitutional freedoms. The court ruled that while factual information cannot be copyrighted, exclusive rights to monetize real-time cricket match updates can be e

The case Akuate Internet Services Pvt. Ltd. v. Star India Pvt. Ltd. addressed the limits of copyright and the “Hot News” doctrine in India. The Delhi High Court ruled that Star India Pvt. Ltd.’s claims to exclusive rights over live match updates were invalid, as factual information cannot be copyrig

The Supreme Court in Harshad Chiman Lal Modi v. D.L.F. Universal Ltd. emphasized the primacy of territorial jurisdiction in cases involving immovable property. The Court held that the Delhi Court lacked jurisdiction to hear a suit for specific performance concerning property in Haryana, despite an e

The case of University of London Press v. University Tutorial Press Ltd ([1916] 2 CH 601) established that examination papers qualify as “original literary works” under copyright law. The court held that originality in copyright does not require novelty but involves skill, labor, and judgment in cre

In Donoghue v. Allied Newspapers Ltd. (1937), the UK High Court ruled that Steve Donoghue, who provided ideas and stories, did not own the copyright in articles written by journalist Mr. Felstead. The court held that copyright protection applies to the specific form of expression, not to the underly

In the case of Hawkins Cookers Ltd. v. Magicook Appliances Co. (2002), the Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Hawkins, affirming copyright infringement and passing off. The court found that Magicook’s labels and cookbooks were deceptively similar to Hawkins’ registered artistic works, leading to con

In Macmillan & Company Ltd. v. Cooper (1924), the Bombay High Court ruled that the unauthorized publication of an abridged version of a copyrighted work constitutes copyright infringement. The court upheld the trial court’s decision, emphasizing that even an abridged version, which requires signific

Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc., 510 U.S. 569 (1994), is a pivotal Supreme Court case that clarified the application of fair use in copyright law, particularly concerning parodies. The Court ruled that commercial purpose does not automatically negate fair use and that a parody can be transformati

The Bayer Corporation v. Union of India case emphasizes the legal framework for granting compulsory licenses under the Indian Patents Act, 1970, particularly to ensure that essential medicines are accessible at affordable prices. The Bombay High Court upheld the Controller’s decision to grant a comp

In Yash Raj Films Pvt Ltd v. Sri Sai Ganesh Productions (2019), the Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Yash Raj Films, finding that the Telugu remake “Jabardasth” was a substantial copy of the Bollywood movie “Band Baaja Baaraat.” The court emphasized that copyright protection extends beyond physica