Loyola University New Orleans professor and copyright law expert Tim Kappel secured a landmark victory for songwriters this week when a federal appeals court ruled that U.S. copyright law allows authors to reclaim ownership of their songs worldwide—not just within the United States.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld a lower court decision granting songwriter Cyril Vetter full global ownership of the 1963 hit “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love),” affirming that Vetter, through his company Vetter Communications Corporation, is the song’s sole worldwide copyright holder. The ruling rejected claims by publisher Resnik Music Group, which argued that Vetter’s termination rights applied only domestically.
Kappel, a nationally recognized authority on music and copyright law, represented Vetter in the case. He is an Assistant Professor of Music Industry Studies and Associate Director of the School of Music and Theatre Professions at Loyola University New Orleans, and has long been an advocate for songwriters’ rights.
“We knew from the start that we had the law on our side, even though it had been misapplied for decades,” Kappel said. “Now, songwriters will be able to recapture the full scope of what they gave away—which is exactly what Congress intended. They get back what they gave away, and nothing less.”
Sheryl Kennedy Haydel, dean of Loyola’s College of Music and Media, praised the ruling and Kappel’s role in shaping its outcome.
“Our students have the rare opportunity to learn from a professor whose work is influencing copyright law at the highest level,” Haydel said. “Tim Kappel’s success in this landmark case exemplifies the caliber of faculty and education at Loyola.”
The case, Vetter v. Resnik, centers on termination rights, a provision of U.S. copyright law that allows authors to reclaim ownership of their works after a set period—even if those rights were previously signed away. While the law has long been understood to allow such reclamation, the music industry historically assumed those rights applied only within U.S. borders.
Vetter and co-writer Don Smith wrote “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” in Baton Rouge in the early 1960s, early in their careers. The song was later recorded by The Swingin’ Medallions, becoming a national hit and a staple of classic rock radio.
Like many songwriters of the era, Vetter and Smith signed a publishing agreement transferring ownership to Windsong Music Publishers, Inc. for just $1—a reflection of the limited bargaining power and industry knowledge available to young writers at the time.
Decades later, Vetter exercised his termination rights under U.S. copyright law. After acquiring Smith’s rights from his heirs, Vetter sought to regain full ownership of the song.
The legal dispute escalated in 2022 when American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. (ABC) approached Vetter to license “Double Shot” for a television production to be broadcast and streamed worldwide. Resnik Music Group, which had acquired the song’s catalog from Windsong, claimed it retained ownership interests outside the United States—prompting Vetter to file suit in federal court.
“So that’s what started this little battle,” Kappel said. “This case was about upending a long-standing—but questionable—industry practice. The statute itself doesn’t impose a geographic restriction, and the courts agreed.”
In January 2025, Chief Judge Shelly Dick of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana ruled that Vetter’s termination restored full worldwide ownership of the song. The Fifth Circuit subsequently affirmed that decision.
Several amicus briefs—also known as “friend of the court” filings—were submitted in support of Vetter’s position, including briefs from The Authors Guild, Songwriters Guild of America, and SAG-AFTRA. These organizations argued that limiting termination rights to U.S. territory would undermine the law’s purpose and weaken protections for creators.
“It’s about control of the work,” Kappel said. “It’s about revenue. But ultimately, it’s about fairness. This is what Congress wanted.”
