"Page and Plant's Win in 'Stairway to Heaven' " Topic

Thursday's verdict for Led Zeppelin in the copyright trial over the 1971 hit song "Stairway to Heaven" reaffirms the creative rights of songwriters while demonstrating the difficulties in pursuing infringement over sheet music, according to legal experts following the case.

The jury's decision followed a highly publicized trial that featured testimonies from Led Zeppelin band members Robert Plant and Jimmy Page about the origins of "Stairway to Heaven." The case was brought by the trustee for the estate of Randy Craig Wolfe, known professionally as Randy California, which alleged in a 2014 lawsuit that Led Zeppelin ripped off "Taurus," a song from California's band, Spirit, in writing the first two minutes and 37 seconds of "Stairway to Heaven."

Legal experts said the jury's finding turned the tables back in favor of musical artists after last year's $7.4 USD million verdict over the 2013 hit "Blurred Lines."

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I always thought the salient point (not the most compelling legal issue) of the lawsuit was that for three decades, Randy California never brought a lawsuit. It was done by his estate several years after his tragic/heroic death.

Randy California labored under the delusion that, sooner or later, their consciences would bother them and they'd set things right. If Spirit had been the more famous band, the ruling would've gone the other way.
If I were a juror, it certainly would've gone the other way!