Copyright Law

Title 17 U.S.C. provides copyright protection for a musical work of authorship that is original and fixed in a tangible form of expression. A musical work that is submitted to the United States...

A copyright is a set of legal rights protecting the exclusive use of a creative work, generally of an artistic nature. It is distinguished from a patent in the sense that patents protect...

If you are the author of a creative work, your common law rights begin from the time your work is set in fixed form. Registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office, however, is a way to give...

Although it is written material such as books, newspaper articles and even blog posts most commonly associated with copyright protection, other original work such as photographs, paintings, music,...

Copyright law in the digital age is continually evolving to protect the exclusive rights of copyholders of digital media and art forms that can be transferred through digital means. However, the...

The purpose of federal copyright laws is spelled out in the U.S. Constitution, which authorizes Congress "to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited times to...

The doctrine of fair use provides certain exceptions to the exclusive rights enjoyed by a copyright holder by permitting individuals to use or make copies of an author's work without the author's...

A copyright is a form of legal protection that allows the author of an original work and his/her heirs to enforce exclusive rights over publication, distribution and adaptation for a certain...

Earn-out publishing refers to aspects of a contract between a writer and a print publisher. When a writer finishes her manuscript, she will send it to various agents and publishing houses in hopes...

Authors and other creators of various works want to give their creations protection from being infringed upon. Understanding what copyright is, what it protects and when it takes effect, is...

A copyright law is a legal protection provided to the original author, musician, or artist. It covers works including plays and dramas, books, songs and recordings, architecture, motion pictures...

In the eyes of the law, copyright exists from the very moment of creation. By virtue of her craft, the producer of any original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work has a natural right to...

Copyright protection will last for the lifetime of the author, plus 70 years after death. According to the Library of Congress, which oversees copyright laws and registrations, a copyright is...

So you wrote a book! Maybe you wrote the great American novel. Maybe you wrote an important policy book. Maybe you wrote an award winning textbook. Hopefully your book is a triple crown, best...

Protect yourself as a writer. Prevent your getting smacked with a lawsuit for "borrowing" copyrighted materials.