Universal Music bosses have suffered a blow in their legal battle against Eminem's former publishing company - officials at the U.S. Supreme Court have refused to hear the label's appeal.
Executives at Fbt Productions have been locked in a court fight with Universal since 2009, when they claimed the label owed the Not Afraid hitmaker $1.47 million (£918,750) in damages because they had failed to pay the star for music downloads.
In September 2010, a California judge declared Universal bosses were at fault and ordered them to pay Fbt a substantial amount in compensation.
Universal executives refused to let the matter lie and took their appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, where officials dismissed the case on Monday (21Mar11).
Judges at the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Fbt's contract entitled Eminem and his producers to half of all profits with Universal from digital sales of the rapper's early work.
Universal heads had previously handed over just 12 per cent of profits to Fbt and Eminem, the same rate paid for physical albums.
Eminem is not directly involved in the legal battle.