Update on Copyright Appeal
October 2003

On October 6, 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Urantia Foundation's request to review the decision of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Michael Foundation, Inc. v. Urantia Foundation. The Supreme Court's action allows that decision to stand with respect to the lawsuit brought in Oklahoma by Harry McMullan III concerning the unauthorized publication of the majority of Part IV of The Urantia Book as a separate work. In that case a jury had held The Urantia Book did not meet the criteria for renewal copyright protection as a composite work or a commissioned work.

It is uncertain what the implications of the 10th Circuit decision may be with respect to others not a party to the Oklahoma lawsuit. In a separate case, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that The Urantia Book is a composite work as a matter of law, and that Urantia Foundation is therefore entitled to renewal copyright protection for the book. It is clear that the Oklahoma decision does not apply to any international copyright in The Urantia Book nor to any of the translations, which are covered by separate copyrights.

As soon as further information becomes available to clarify the implications of this decision we will provide the reader community with additional information.