An Associate's Guide to the Practice of Copyright Law

CONTENTS......Page 6
ABOUT THE AUTHORS......Page 14
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 16
CHAPTER 1: Brief Introduction......Page 18
A. A Copyright Is a Bundle of Exclusive Rights......Page 20
B. The Law of Copyright Exists in Statutory and Case Law......Page 21
C. Copyrights Protect Original Works of Authorship......Page 24
E. A “Derivative” or “Compilation” of Copyrightable Works Is Itself Copyrightable......Page 25
F. Copyright Protection Exists with Creation......Page 26
H. Registration Is a Prerequisite to Copyright Litigation......Page 27
J. Under the “Work for Hire” Doctrine, the Employer or Commissioner Owns the Copyright......Page 28
K. When the Author Cannot Be Located or Identified, the Work Is Called an “Orphan Work”......Page 30
L. Copyright Protection Lasts for Varying Amounts of Time......Page 31
M. “Publication” Is a Central Event for a Copyrighted Work......Page 32
CHAPTER 2: Copyright Registration and Notice......Page 36
A. The Cost of Registration Is Low......Page 38
B. The Benefits of Early Registration Are Significant......Page 40
C. Registration Is Required Before Litigation......Page 41
A. The Forms Vary Depending on the Work......Page 42
B. The Deposit Material Requirements Vary Depending on the Type of Work......Page 43
IV. Copyright Registration: The Method......Page 45
A. The Work Being Registered......Page 47
B. Author......Page 50
D. Limitation of Copyright Claim......Page 51
E. Rights and Permissions Contact......Page 53
VI. Copyright Registration of Computer Programs......Page 54
VII. Expediting Registration......Page 57
VIII. Preregistration......Page 58
X. Copyright Notice Should Be Included on All Works......Page 60
A. A Copyright Notice Includes Three Elements......Page 61
CHAPTER 3: Copyright Transfer: Licenses and Assignments......Page 64
II. Copyright Transfer......Page 65
B. Licenses......Page 66
D. An Effective Transfer Requires Two Main Elements......Page 67
E. A Nonexclusive License Is Not Technically a “Transfer”......Page 68
A. Effecting a Recordation......Page 69
B. Advantages of Recordation......Page 70
IV. A Transfer May Be Terminated to Recapture the Renewal Period......Page 71
A. Work for Hire Agreement......Page 72
B. Assignment......Page 73
C. Exclusive License......Page 74
D. Nonexclusive License......Page 76
A. Music Licensing......Page 77
B. Art Licensing......Page 80
C. Book Licensing......Page 82
D. Licenses in Educational Settings......Page 86
VII. Use of a Person’s Image—The Right of Publicity......Page 89
CHAPTER 4: Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Take-Down Notices......Page 92
I. Service Provider Protection through the Safe Harbor......Page 93
B. Required Elements of the Take-Down Notice......Page 94
III. When to Use This Alternative......Page 95
V. How to React When a Client’s Materials Have Been Subject to a Take-Down Notice......Page 96
A. Drafting the Counter Notice......Page 97
VII. Ensuring Compliance with the DMCA if Your Client Is a Service Provider......Page 98
CHAPTER 5: Cease and Desist Letters......Page 102
A. The Cost of a Cease and Desist Letter Is Lower Than Litigation......Page 103
D. Cease and Desist Letters Can Instigate Litigation that Your Client May Not Be Prepared For......Page 104
III. Consider Filing a Complaint Before Sending a Cease and Desist Letter......Page 106
A. Verify that the Work Is Copyrightable......Page 108
C. Question Any Licensing History......Page 109
F. Make Sure There Is an Infringement......Page 110
V. The Potential Outcomes and Repercussions......Page 111
A. Determining Who Should Receive the Letter......Page 112
B. Elements to Include in the Letter......Page 114
VII. How to Respond to a Cease and Desist Letter......Page 115
VIII. Provide Your Client with a Litigation Hold Notice......Page 117
CHAPTER 6: Copyright Litigation......Page 120
I. Steps to Take Prior to Filing a Claim for Copyright Infringement......Page 124
A. Register the Copyright......Page 125
B. Evaluate Whether There Is a Claim......Page 126
D. Evaluate the Strength of the Infringement Case......Page 132
E. Determine and Research the Defendant(s)......Page 136
F. Consider Where to File......Page 137
G. Impose a Litigation Hold......Page 138
A. Venue and Jurisdiction......Page 139
C. Causes of Action......Page 142
D. Filing the Complaint and Additional Materials......Page 145
E. Service......Page 147
A. Temporary Restraining Orders......Page 148
B. Preliminary Injunctions......Page 149
A. Service......Page 150
B. Insurance Issues......Page 151
D. Receiving an Amended Complaint......Page 153
A. Motions That Must Be Filed Before Answering......Page 154
B. Motions That May Be Filed Before Answering......Page 155
D. Timing of Motions and Answers......Page 156
A. Answering......Page 157
B. Affirmative Defenses......Page 159
C. Counterclaims and Crossclaims......Page 168
A. Monetary Damages......Page 170
C. Injunctions......Page 173
VIII. Discovery......Page 175
B. Written Discovery......Page 177
D. Responding to Written Discovery......Page 199
E. Subpoenas......Page 206
F. Depositions......Page 209
G. Discovery Disputes......Page 222
A. Types of Experts......Page 224
B. Locating an Expert......Page 225
C. Communications with an Expert......Page 227
D. Expert Reports......Page 228
E. Deposition of an Expert......Page 229
F. Motions to Exclude Experts......Page 230
X. Dispositive Motions......Page 231
XI. Hearings......Page 233
XII. Settlement and Mediation......Page 234
XIII. Pretrial......Page 237
XIV. Trial and Preparing for Trial......Page 239
A. Equitable Relief......Page 240
B. Relief from Judgment......Page 241
D. Recovering Fees and Costs......Page 242
CHAPTER 7: United States Customs and the International Trade Commission......Page 248
A. Recordal......Page 249
B. Enforcement......Page 251
II. International Trade Commission......Page 252
APPENDIX......Page 256
TABLE OF CASES......Page 324
A......Page 330
C......Page 331
D......Page 333
E......Page 335
H......Page 336
J......Page 337
M......Page 338
O......Page 339
R......Page 340
S......Page 341
T......Page 342
W......Page 343