Michael Bolton [ tickets ]'s appeal of a $5.4 million plagiarism judgment that was handed down in 1994 has been defeated by a federal appeals court in San Francisco.

The soft-rock hero was sued six years ago by the Isley Brothers for allegedly lifting parts of their 1966 song "Love Is a Wonderful Thing" to use in his own 1991 hit of the same title.

The court said in its Tuesday (5/9) decision: "In this case, the Isley Brothers undoubtedly contributed something original to 'Love Is a Wonderful Thing.' Having found that the law was properly applied in this case, we leave the district court's decision and the jury's credibility determinations undisturbed."

The $5.4 million award was calculated on the basis of 66% of past and future royalties being owed to the Isley Brothers. It also took into account 28% of past and future royalties from the 1991 album "Time, Love and Tenderness," on which the song appears and which has sold 6.7 million copies in the US to date.

A spokesperson from Bolton's label Sony was unavailable for comment.