Dive Brief:

• A jury found that Google’s use of Java in its Android operating systems constitutes fair use under the Copyright Act.

• It was the second time the two companies met in court over Oracle’s complaint that Google used parts of its Java platform in Android without a license. Oracle originally filed the suit against Google six years ago.

• Oracle sought more than $9 billion in damages from Google.

Dive Insight:

The jury deliberated for about three days before unanimously deciding in favor of Google. 

The case centered around Google's decision to use Java as the base for its Android operating system without obtaining a license from Sun Microsystems, which was acquired by Oracle in 2010.

Google argued its use of Java was covered by fair use, but Oracle alleged Google chose to use Java because of the popularity of the program. Google simply wanted to get its operating system out before others took hold, Oracle alleged.

In 2012, a jury found Google infringed upon Oracle’s copyright by using the "structure, sequence and organization" of 37 Java application programming interfaces in Android.

But William Alsup, the trial judge, later ruled that application program interfaces (APIs) aren't eligible for protection under U.S. copyright law. Later, an appeals court overturned that ruling. Google’s appeal to the Supreme Court was declined.

Experts say the outcome of the case could "alter the ground rules for modern software," and potentially change how other businesses work with programming languages. 

"Today’s verdict that Android makes fair use of Java APIs represents a win for the Android ecosystem, for the Java programming community, and for software developers who rely on open and free programming languages to build innovative consumer products," said a Google spokesperson.

Oracle claims that allowing Google to use Java for free dissuades software companies from innovating, while Google claims not being allowed fair use of Java (or other software) prevents programmers from building new apps that can interact with each other, ultimately making any software less useful.

Oracle, however, is not backing down following the verdict. "Oracle brought this lawsuit to put a stop to Google’s illegal behavior," Oracle General Counsel Dorian Daley in a statement issued following the verdict. "We believe there are numerous grounds for appeal and we plan to bring this case back to the Federal Circuit on appeal."