Netflix Prevails in ‘Tiger King’ Copyright Case, a Win for ‘Fair Use’ in Documentaries

Home TV News Apr 30, 2026 7:32pm PT Netflix Prevails in ‘Tiger King’ Copyright Case, a Win for ‘Fair Use’ in Documentaries By Gene Maddaus Plus Icon Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer @GeneMaddaus Latest Netflix Prevails in ‘Tiger King’ Copyright Case, a Win for ‘Fair Use’ in Documentaries 11 minutes ago Trump-Backed Governor Candidate Joins Call for Unlimited California Film and TV Incentive 4 hours ago Nick Reiner Makes Brief Court Appearance on Murder Charges 1 day ago See All Netflix Documentary filmmakers who use unlicensed video clips can breathe a little easier, after an appellate panel reversed itself Thursday in a closely watched copyright case involving Netflix‘s “Tiger King” series. A three-judge panel of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the filmmakers’ use of a 66-second clip from a character’s funeral was sufficiently transformative to qualify for “fair use” protection. Related Stories ‘Trial of Hein’ Review: An Intriguing Brechtian Period Drama Puts Memory on Trial