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Arguments Heard in 'Happy Birthday' Copyright Fight

By Amanda Bronstad

In a court battle involving the song “Happy Birthday to You,” a federal judge was set to decide whether Los Angeles-based music publisher Warner/Chappell has unlawfully been collecting licensing fees for the song's copyright.

Federal District Judge George King of the Central District of California heard more than two hours of arguments last month on whether to declare Warner/Chappell Music Inc.'s copyright invalid and find that “Happy Birthday to You” should be in the public domain. At stake are potentially millions of dollars in licensing fees to what the complaint calls the “world's most popular song.”

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