Authors Guild v. Google, Inc.

804 F.3d 202 (2d Cir. 2015)

Federal & State Law Editorial TeamLast reviewed: July 2026

Opinion Summary

Held that Google's digitization of copyrighted books for its Google Books search engine constitutes fair use under copyright law. The court found that Google's use was transformative because it provided a new and different purpose by enabling users to search for specific terms within millions of books.

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Case Information

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Court Level: U.S. Court of Appeals
Circuit: 2nd Circuit
Date Decided: Friday, October 16, 2015
Citation: 804 F.3d 202 (2d Cir. 2015)
Jurisdiction: United States Federal

Legal Topics

business

Related Laws

fed-copyright-act-1976

This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.