Name- Muskan Shaikh Roll no- M2227 Law Case Mills Music, Inc. v. Snyder (1985)
Mills Music, Inc. v. Snyder, 469 U.S. 153 (1985), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that if the author of a work authorizes derivatives, the terms negotiated in exchange for that grant stand even if the grant is later rescinded. If the copyright holder deputizes another person to authorize derivative works, the law draws no distinction between such works and those directly authorized by the copyright holder.
This case involves a trademark disputes between Mills Music Inc. a music publishing company, and a man named Snyder who was using the name “Mills Music” to promote his music services. Mills Music Inc. alleged that Snyder use of the name created a likelihood of confusion among consumers and diluted their trademark rights. It was a dispute regarding publishing royalties for the popular song “Who’s Sorry Now?”, which Mills Music had licensed to recording companies, who created records of the song, or derivative works; after the death of Ted Snyder, the song’s composer, his heirs terminated the agreement with Mills Music. They believed that Mills was no longer entitled to its share in the royalties. Mills, through the Harry Fox Agency, sued in federal court in New York, where it won, but was overturned in the Second Circuit, before finally appealing to the Supreme Court, which granted certiorari in March 1984.
The court found in favor of Mills Music Inc. and issued an injunction, ordering Snyder to stop using the name “Mills Music” or any similar names. The court also awarded damages to Mills Music Inc.
This case highlights the importance of protecting a company’s trademark rights, particularly when the company has established a strong brand identity. Companies should take steps to monitor the use of their trademarks and take legal action when necessary to prevent infringement.