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Page Number: 4

4 

KIRTSAENG v. JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. 

Syllabus 

first adopted a geographical interpretation.  But the law has not been 
settled  for  so  long  in  Wiley’s  favor.    The  Second  Circuit  in  this  case  
was  the  first  Court  of  Appeals  to  adopt  a  purely  geographical  inter-
pretation.  Reliance on the “first sale” doctrine is also deeply embed-
ded in the practices of booksellers, libraries, museums, and retailers,
who  have  long  relied  on  its  protection.    And  the  fact  that  harm  has 
proved  limited  so  far  may  simply  reflect  the  reluctance  of  copyright
holders to assert geographically based resale rights.  Thus, the prac-
tical  problems  described  by  petitioner  and  his  amici  are  too  serious, 
extensive, and likely to come about to be dismissed as insignificant—
particularly  in  light  of  the  ever-growing  importance  of  foreign  trade 
to America.  Pp. 19–24. 

(c) Several  additional  arguments  that  Wiley  and  the  dissent  make
in support of a geographical interpretation are unpersuasive.  Pp. 24– 
33. 

654 F. 3d 210, reversed and remanded. 

BREYER,  J.,  delivered  the  opinion  of  the  Court,  in  which  ROBERTS, 
C. J., and THOMAS, ALITO, SOTOMAYOR, and KAGAN, JJ., joined.  KAGAN, 
J., filed a concurring opinion, in which ALITO, J., joined.  GINSBURG, J., 
filed  a  dissenting  opinion,  in  which  KENNEDY, J.,  joined,  and  in  which 
SCALIA, J., joined except as to Parts III and V–B–1.