Ricky Martin Copyright Lawsuit Over 'Vida' Song Reinstated by Appeals Court
A federal appeals court has reinstated a long-running copyright infringement lawsuit against singer Ricky Martin concerning his 2014 FIFA World Cup song, "Vida." The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit overturned a lower court's ruling that had dismissed accusations from Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos, who claims Martin stole his song. The decision, issued on Friday, June 12, sends the case back to the lower court, allowing Cortés-Ramos to proceed with discovery after nearly 12 years of litigation.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has reinstated a copyright infringement lawsuit against Ricky Martin, concerning his 2014 FIFA World Cup song "Vida." The legal battle, initiated by Luis Adrián Cortés-Ramos, is now headed for another round in court, nearly 12 years after it was first filed.
In a decision issued on Friday, June 12, the federal appeals court overturned a lower court's ruling that had dismissed Cortés-Ramos's accusations. Cortés-Ramos has long claimed that Martin's 2014 hit "Vida" was stolen from his original song. A judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit described the ongoing case as a "perpetual quest" for copyright justice, noting it marks Cortés-Ramos's fifth appeal in twelve years across three cases.
Cortés-Ramos first sued in July 2014 over "Vida," a track featured on "One Love, One Rhythm – The 2014 FIFA World Cup Official Album." The song reached No. 5 on Billboard's Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart during the tournament. The song's origin involved a contest held by FIFA and Sony Music, where songwriters submitted entries to be performed by Martin. Cortés-Ramos, though not selected, alleges Martin's final track bore significant similarities to his submission, constituting infringement.
The case has seen multiple dismissals and reinstatements. It was initially dismissed in 2015 due to a waiver Cortés-Ramos signed, agreeing to private arbitration. This dismissal was upheld by the First Circuit in 2016. However, Cortés-Ramos filed a new case against Martin personally, eventually winning a ruling in 2020 that allowed it to proceed. Following further appeals, a judge had ruled in August 2024 that Martin was entitled to summary judgment, a decision that would have ended the case without a jury trial.
However, in a 41-page opinion on Friday, the First Circuit rebooted the case. Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson, writing for a three-judge panel, stated that the trial court had issued its ruling against Cortés-Ramos prematurely by not providing him a fair opportunity for "discovery" – the process where both sides exchange evidence. The appeals court agreed with Cortés-Ramos on the discovery issue, vacating the previous decision and remanding the case for further litigation.
The ruling sends the case back to the lower court, where Cortés-Ramos will now receive a "full and fair opportunity" to conduct discovery, which is typically a lengthy and expensive process. After this phase, the judge will again consider granting Martin a final judgment, with either side retaining the option to appeal further. Attorneys for both Martin and Cortés-Ramos did not immediately return requests for comment. (Source: Billboard)
