The New York trial was closely watched by copyright scholars, publishers, and others in the publishing community involved with the creation and production of so-called companion books, works that reference, explain, and in large measure rely upon previously published works. Of concern was how Judge Patterson’s decision would affect the market for such works and whether it would signal a shift toward a narrower and more restrictive test for what constitutes an infringing work.

A copy of Judge Patterson’s opinion is available online; Mark Hamblett’s summary for the New York Law Journal is available via law.com.