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In Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., the U.S. Supreme Court held that Rural’s white pages directory was not eligible for copyright protection because it lacked originality. The Court ruled that copyright applies only to works with a minimum level of creativity, rejecting the “
In R.G. Anand v. M/S. Delux Films & Ors., the Supreme Court of India clarified that copyright protection extends to the expression of an idea, not the idea itself. The case revolved around the alleged infringement of the play Hum Hindustani by the film New Delhi. The Court ruled that since the simil
In Creation Records Ltd v. News Group Newspapers Ltd (1997), the High Court held that a photograph taken during a photo shoot for the band Oasis did not infringe on the copyright of the artistic props used in the scene. The court ruled that the photograph was an independent and original creation by
In Ramlal, Motilal, and Chhotelal v. Rewa Coalfields Ltd., the Supreme Court clarified that under Section 5 of the Limitation Act, a party seeking condonation of delay must only explain the delay that occurred after the last day of the prescribed period, not their entire conduct during the limitatio
In Union of India (UOI) v. West Coast Paper Mills Ltd., the Supreme Court ruled that the limitation period for filing suits to recover excess freight charges should be calculated from the final adjudication date by the highest court, not the initial tribunal order. The Court clarified that claims fo
In I.T.C. Limited v. George Joseph Fernandes (1989), the Supreme Court addressed whether a contract could be deemed void due to mutual mistake. The appellant claimed the trawlers provided were defective, arguing the contract was void based on a fundamental defect. However, the court held that the co
In Mathai Mathai v. Joseph Mary (2015), the Supreme Court of India ruled that a mortgage deed executed by a minor was void ab initio, citing Section 11 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872. The court invalidated the appellant’s claim of tenancy rights under the Kerala Land Reforms Act, as the mortgage w
In N. Balakrishnan v. M. Krishnamurthy (1998), the Supreme Court of India held that the length of delay under Section 5 of the Limitation Act is immaterial, provided a reasonable and bona fide explanation is given. The Court emphasized that procedural rules should not obstruct justice, especially wh
In M.S. Narayana Menon v. State of Kerala (2006), the Supreme Court clarified that the presumption under Section 139 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, is rebuttable. The accused is not required to disprove liability beyond a reasonable doubt but only needs to raise a credible defense that cre
In the case Starbucks Coffee v. Sardarbuksh Coffee & Co., the Delhi High Court ruled that Sardarbuksh’s brand name and logo were deceptively similar to Starbucks, causing potential confusion among consumers. The Court ordered Sardarbuksh to rebrand as “Sardarji-Bakhsh Coffee & Co.” due to the phonet
In Patel Roadways Ltd., Bombay v. Prasad Trading Co., the Supreme Court ruled that a suit against a corporation can be filed where its subordinate office is located, even if its registered office is elsewhere. The court invalidated the exclusive jurisdiction clause, emphasizing convenience for plain
In Sampelly Satyanarayana Rao v. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd., the Supreme Court ruled that post-dated cheques issued as security can attract liability under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act if they represent a legally enforceable debt at the time of dishonor. The Cou
In K.D. Kamath & Co. v. CIT (1971), the Supreme Court of India held that the validity of a partnership depends on the genuine intention of the partners to share profits and losses, irrespective of who controls the business. The Court ruled that extensive control by one partner does not negate the ex
In Cox v. Hickman (1860), the House of Lords held that participation in profits does not necessarily constitute a partnership. The case involved trustees managing a business to repay creditors. The trustees, including Hickman, did not intend to form a partnership but acted in a fiduciary capacity. T
In Dashrath Rupsingh Rathod v. State of Maharashtra (2014), the Supreme Court of India ruled that complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act must be filed in the court with territorial jurisdiction where the cheque is dishonoured, not where it was presented or the statutory notic
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