On November 3, 2015 Michael Hussey's article, "Copyright Captures APIs: A New Caution For Developers," was published in Techcrunch.com.

Assumption that APIs are Exempt from Copyright Protection Must Change, Says Hussey
The ramifications of the copyright infringement battle between tech heavyweights Oracle and Google concerning APIs are significant for software entrepreneurs, says Brinks' Michael Hussey in his recent article for TechCrunch.com.

No one disputes that Google copied a portion of Oracle's Java application programming interface (API) to create the Android operating system. In the sensational case of Google v. Oracle, the Federal Circuit decided that Oracle's Java API is copyrightable, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal.

Because using APIs is so common, notes Hussey, startups and established software companies need to operate with a clear understanding of the implications of this decision in order to avoid running afoul of others' copyrights—and to leverage their own.

Click here to read more.

This article is intended to provide information of general interest to the public and is not intended to offer legal advice about specific situations or problems. Brinks Gilson & Lione does not intend to create an attorney-client relationship by offering this information and review of the information shall not be deemed to create such a relationship. You should consult a lawyer if you have a legal matter requiring attention. For further information, please contact a Brinks Gilson & Lione lawyer.