A US appeals court has thrown out the $550,000 fine levied again CBS Corp. television stations for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that ended with Janet Jackson [ tickets ] flashing her breast for a fraction of a second.

The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit said the Federal Communications Commission "arbitrarily and capriciously departed from its prior policy" that exempted fleeting broadcast material from actionable indecency violations, according to Reuters.

Nearly 90 million viewers were tuned in when Justin Timberlake ripped off part of Jackson's bustier while singing the lyrics "gonna have you naked by the end of this song." Both performers claimed the flash was an accident, with Timberlake coining the term "wardrobe malfunction."

Despite the brevity of the incident, lawmakers and regulators were outraged and moved to crack down on indecency policies and dramatically increase fines for violations.

CBS apologized and paid the fine, but said it did not know about the stunt and appealed the decision. The appeals court agreed that the network could not be held responsible for the actions of independent contractors during a live broadcast.

The news comes just as Jackson adds more dates to her upcoming "Rock Witchu Tour," which marks the superstar's first outing in seven years. The North American trek is set to launch Sept. 10 in Vancouver and visit arenas across the US and a few Canadian provinces through late October. Since last check, dates have been added in Los Angeles and Uncasville, CT. An updated itinerary is listed below.

Jackson is supporting her 10th studio album, "Discipline," which debuted at the top of The Billboard 200 in March. In addition to showcasing new material on the road, the singer is expected to perform many of the hit singles that have helped her sell more than 100 million records during her career, according to a press release.