States Shielded From Copyright Suits, Supreme Court Rules (1)

The U.S. Supreme Court said copyright owners can’t sue for damages when a state government pilfers their work, ruling against businesses in a case stemming from the wreckage of the pirate Blackbeard’s flagship.

The justices on Monday unanimously said states are protected by sovereign immunity. The court threw out a 1990 federal law that attempted to authorize lawsuits, ruling that the measure went beyond Congress’ constitutional authority.

Justice Elena Kagan said the court was bound by a 1990 ruling that precluded lawsuits seeking patent damages from states. That ruling “all but prewrote our decision today,” Kagan wrote for the court. ...