More than a dozen ‘amicus briefs’ were filed through Friday evening – a week after Cox filed its opening brief [find Cox’s brief and all amicus briefs here]. The Cox brief urged the Court to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure by clarifying that an entity should not be held liable for infringement by a tiny subset of customers when the entity did not aid, foster, encourage or profit from the infringing conduct.

The full list of amici and information on their support can be found in the fact sheet here:

“We appreciate the outpouring of support from businesses, organizations, public interest groups and the government who understand the significant political, economic and social implications of this case,” said Todd Smith, spokesperson for Cox Communications. “These supportive briefs, taken together, highlight how the lower court decision could fundamentally change how internet service providers manage their networks and jeopardize access for millions of innocent users who rely on connectivity for nearly every aspect of daily life.”

Case Background:

In 2018, Sony Corp. and other music industry groups sued Cox claiming that Cox should be held responsible – or secondarily liable – for its customers’ alleged copyright infringement. In 2019, a jury found Cox liable under two theories – vicarious infringement and contributory infringement, which Cox then appealed.

In February 2024, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the verdict holding that Cox was not vicariously liable for the actions of its consumers. But it ruled that Cox was liable for contributory infringement. This ruling meant that Cox, and by extension all internet providers, can be held responsible for the online activity of its subscribers. Cox then petitioned the Supreme Court to review the case and find that Cox should not be liable under a contributory liability standard either. On June 30^th, 2025, the Supreme Court granted Cox’s petition to review the case.

Read more about this case in our previous newsroom posts:

• U.S. Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Significant Copyright Case
• Cox Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Copyright Infringement Case

About Cox Communications:

Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through technology. As the largest private broadband company in America, we own network infrastructure that reaches more than 30 states. Our fiber-powered wireline and wireless connections are available to more than 12 million homes and businesses and support advanced cloud and managed IT services nationwide. We’re the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox that is dedicated to empowering others to build a better future for the next generation.