Baker v. Selden

Citation

Baker v. Selden, 101 U.S. 99 (1879) (full-text).

Factual Background

The plaintiff copyrighted a treatise setting forth a particular system of bookkeeping that included unique forms for recording information. Plaintiff alleged copyright infringement by defendant's substantially similar forms.

U.S. Supreme Court

The Supreme Court held that

“

blank account-books are not the subject of copyright; and that the mere copyright of Selden's book did not confer upon him the exclusive right to make and use account-books, ruled and arranged as designated by him and described and illustrated in said book.

”