U.S. Supreme Court's Warhol v. Goldsmith ruling clarifies copyright law but leaves many questions unanswered

The Supreme Court upheld the right of creators to copyright their work even when it is appropriated by famous artists.
The ruling suggests imitation and appropriation of existing works for commercial purposes will rarely qualify as fair use.
The decision focused on the commercial purpose of Warhol's work rather than the amount copied, leaving the question of transformative use unsettled.
Legal experts say the ruling provides limited guidance for future cases and lower courts will likely interpret it in varying ways.
The ruling comes as artist Richard Prince faces a lawsuit over appropriating others' images, though the Warhol decision may have limited impact on his case.