January 15, 2026 — A ruling from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in a case involving Baton Rouge songwriter-turned-broadcast-executive Cyril Vetter could change the way big music companies transfer intellectual property back to songwriters, upending decades of established practice and bringing big changes to the way the industry makes and enforces deals.
In its Monday decision, a three-judge panel said Vetter reclaimed total ownership of his 1960s hit “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” when he terminated his contract with music publisher Resnik Music Group in 2022. Under previous interpretations of the law, Vetter only gained U.S. rights to the 64-year-old song, which has been covered by Bruce Springsteen and other notables.