Oracle v. Google has been winding its way through courts for a decade. You’ve probably already heard that the high-profile legal case could transform software engineering as we know it — but since nothing ever seems to happen, it’s forgivable if you’ve made a habit of tuning out the news.
It might be time to tune back in. The latest iteration of the case will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 2020-2021 season, which began this week (after being pushed back due to coronavirus concerns). The decision of the highest court in the land can’t be overturned and is unlikely to be reversed, so unlike previous decisions at the district and circuit court level, it would stick for good. And while the case is being heard in the U.S., the decision would impact the entire global tech industry.