Thomson Reuters Enterprise Centre GmbH v. ROSS Intelligence Inc., 1:20-cv-00613 (D. Del.); interlocutory appeal No. 25-2153 (3d Cir.)

Summary

Thomson Reuters and West Publishing sued ROSS Intelligence in the District of Delaware on May 6, 2020, alleging that ROSS copied Westlaw headnotes to train a competing AI legal-research tool. On February 11, 2025, Judge Stephanos Bibas, a circuit judge sitting by designation, revised his 2023 ruling. He granted Thomson Reuters partial summary judgment on direct infringement for many headnotes and rejected ROSS's fair use defense, while noting that only non-generative AI was before him. He certified the questions for interlocutory appeal. On September 29, 2026, a Third Circuit panel affirmed in a precedential opinion, holding that the headnotes are original enough to be copyrighted and that ROSS's use for a directly competing product was not fair use. In October 2026 ROSS moved for more time to seek rehearing en banc. The case is not over: other issues remain for the district court.

Key dates

1. May 6, 2020Filed
2. October 16, 2026Checked against sources
3. October 21, 2026Checked against sources

Developments are added when the record is reviewed. Next review: January 15, 2027.

Evidence

Each passage is quoted from its source. The quoted passages are re-checked against the live pages every month.

1. (2) grant Thomson Reuters's motion for partial summary judgment on fair use, D.I. 672; (3) deny Ross's motion for summary judgment on fair use

   Supports: February 2025 ruling on fair use

   only non-generative AI is before me today

   Supports: Scope limited to non-generative AI

   Now I (1) grant most of Thomson Reuters's motion for partial summary judgment on direct copyright infringement and related defenses

   Supports: Partial (not complete) summary judgment; issues remain

   Memorandum Opinion, 11 February 2025 U.S. District Court, D. Del. Primary source

2. Case 1:20-cv-00613-UNA Document 1 Filed 05/06/20 Page 1 of 17

   Supports: Docket number and filing date

   Complaint (D.I. 1) U.S. District Court, D. Del. (RECAP copy via CourtListener) Primary source

3. We therefore hold that Thomson Reuters's materials are copyrightable and that ROSS's use was not fair. Thus, we will affirm the District Court's order granting Thomson Reuters partial summary judgment.

   Supports: Appellate holding

   Argued: June 11, 2026; Filed: Sept. 29, 2026

   Supports: Argument and decision dates

   Thomson Reuters Enterprise Centre GmbH v. ROSS Intelligence Inc., No. 25-2153, precedential opinion U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Primary source

4. it is now ORDERED and ADJUDGED that the District Court's order entered on February 11, 2025, is hereby AFFIRMED.

   Supports: Judgment affirmed

   Judgment, No. 25-2153 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (RECAP copy via CourtListener) Primary source

5. Case: 25-2153 Document: 215 Page: 1 Date Filed: 10/07/2026

   Supports: Rehearing extension sought, October 2026

   Appellant's unopposed motion for extension of time to petition for rehearing en banc (Doc. 215) U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (RECAP copy via CourtListener) Primary source