As a general rule, a copyright registration covers an individual work, and you must prepare a separate application and submit a separate filing fee and deposit for each work you want to register. Under the recently proposed copyright rules, artist can register multiple works of two-dimensional artwork, such as illustrations, paintings and drawings in a single application.
In the highly competative area of software develoment, computer source code holds immense value. It’s the lifeblood of a company’s innovation and the fruit of years of labor and toil. Selecting the right form of protection depends on several factors, like the originality, confidentiality, and functionality of your code. Consulting with an experienced IP attorney ensures you leverage the most effective form of IP protection for your specific situation.
Copyright Registration Since 1978, registering a work of art for copyright protection is no longer required. While a registration is not required, a copyright registration does provide enhanced rights, including the right to collect monetary damages. Under federal law, a timely registered copyright allows the author of the work to collect damages which are provided Read more about 101 Series – How to Prepare a Copyright Application[…]
Rights under Copyright Law A copyright owner automatically receives a number of different rights when they create a copyright work. Those rights include the right of reproduction, public display, distribution and the right to prepare derivative works. For some types of work, this also includes the right of public performance. However, when an owner sells Read more about Exhaustion of Copyrights based on Sale[…]
As the owner of intellectual property (a patent, copyright or trademark), you have invested significant time, energy and resources into protecting your patent, copyright or trademark. What do you do if you find someone is violating your patent rights, for example? Do you file a lawsuit immediately? Do you contact the police? Do you contact Read more about Caution – Cease and Desist Letter[…]
Counterfeit Merchandise The sale of counterfeit goods is skyrocketing in the U.S. and around the world. Every day someone sells a knock-off product on eBay losing billions of dollars in potential sales from legitimate brand owners and also eroding their intellectual property rights. Globally, the economic impact of counterfeiting and piracy are projected to reach Read more about Buying or Selling Counterfeit Merchandise[…]
CARTOON CHARACTERS Cartoon characters are everywhere these days. In movies, video games, television, software, toys, blankets, food, beverages and clothing just to mention a few. Many of these are based on a fictional character which was originally created as part of a graphic work like a comic book. From a value perspective, these characters are Read more about Copyright Cartoon Images[…]
U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Copyright Registrations are required prior to filing a Copyright Infringement lawsuit in Fourth Estate Public Benefit Corp. v. Wall-street.com, LLC, No. 17-571, 586 U.S. ___ (March 4, 2019). This settles the division between the circuits in which some courts allowed an infringement action Read more about Copyright Registration Required[…]
Does your business need a license to play music? Do you really need a music license just to play cover songs? Music licensing is not something to gamble with. Spotify recently settled a class action lawsuit for more than $43 million after failing to pay publishers and songwriters when they streamed their music. While Spotify’s Read more about Pay BEFORE You Play: Why Music Licensing Matters[…]