Tuesday, September 07, 2010
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Copyrights

U.S. copyright law originates in our constitution.  Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 states "To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors...the exclusive Right to their...Writings."

Copyright gives the author of an original work exclusive right to that work, including its publication, distribution and adaptation.  Copyright applies to any expressible form of an idea or information that is substantive and discrete and fixed in a medium. Copyright may apply to a wide range of creative, intellectual, scientific, or artistic forms, or "works".  These can include poems, theses, plays, otber literary works, movies, dances, musical compositions, audio recordings, paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, and software.  These exclusive rights arise automatically.  However, registration enhances the owners rights.  The registration is inexpensive and the advantages are great.   

Typically, a work must meet minimal standards of originality in order to qualify for copyright.  Copyright law recognizes the right of an author based on whether the work actually is an original creation, rather than based on whether it is unique; two authors may own copyrights on two substantially identical works, if it is determined that the duplication was coincidental, and neither was copied from the other.

This office will help you file a copyright application or help you enforce existing copyrights.  

  

 

 


Questions & comments

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