McCartney claims the 1976 Copyright Act affords him the rights to reclaim ownership of the songs he wrote as early as next year.
Sony and late pop star Michael Jackson formed Sony/ATV after Jackson paid $41.5 million to purchase the ATV catalog, including a number of Beatles songs. Sony took full control last year when Jackson’s estate sold its stake for $750 million.
McCartney is seeking a court declaration that his terminating rights are not a “breach of publishing agreements,” but his lawyers expressed concern about a U.K. court ruling against members of the band Duran Duran who tried to reclaim rights to their music.