Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s Post

🎯 Reclaim Your Legacy: The Power of Copyright Termination! 📚🎶 🎯 Did you know that artists like Jay-Z, Cher, and now 2 Live Crew have successfully reclaimed their copyrights? Copyright termination rights give creators the ability to regain control over their works decades after transfer. Whether it's iconic music or timeless works, these rights allow artists to take back their legacies. Key points: 1️⃣ 35-year rule: Reclaim rights 35 years after a transfer. 2️⃣ Jay-Z, Cher & 2 Live Crew: Examples of successful terminations. 3️⃣ Legal precision: Proper notice is critical. #CopyrightLaw #MusicRights #IPLaw #CreativeControl #CopyrightTermination https://lnkd.in/emQS2nXk

🎯 Reclaim Your Legacy: The Power of Copyright Termination! 📚🎶 🎯 Did you know that artists like Jay-Z, Cher, and now 2 Live Crew have successfully reclaimed their copyrights? Copyright termination rights give creators the ability to regain control over their works decades after transfer. Whether it's iconic music or timeless works, these rights allow artists to take back their legacies. Key points: 1️⃣ 35-year rule: Reclaim rights 35 years after a transfer. 2️⃣ Jay-Z, Cher & 2 Live Crew: Examples of successful terminations. 3️⃣ Legal precision: Proper notice is critical. #CopyrightLaw #MusicRights #IPLaw #CreativeControl #CopyrightTermination https://lnkd.in/eSpwsdHp

Two songs. Two presidential campaigns. Two copyright infringement lawsuits. The common element: one Donald J. Trump. Here’s the latest. https://lnkd.in/gYRC-XNY #copyright #copyrightlaw #copyrightlately #entertainmentlaw #musiclaw #politics #IPlaw

🍌 What does duct-taping a banana to a wall have to do with video game law? 🍌 It’s one of my favorite copyright cases.    In 2019, an artist named Maurizio Cattelan, duct-taped a banana to a wall at Art Basel Miami.  It was the talk of the show, and he sold reproductions for $120k to $150k each. By the way, he called the work, “comedian.” 🤣   There was just one problem. An artist named Joe Morford already had a registered copyright for his own banana-on-a-wall art piece.  He called it Banana and Orange. 🍌 + 🍊 He sued Cattelan for copyright infringement.    👩⚖️ The court ruled that there was no copyright violation. ❓ But what was the court’s rationale? And what does this have to do with video games?   If you understand how the court analyzed these duct taped bananas, you can apply that to video game copyright disputes.    I’ll cover the court’s analysis in the next video. #videogamelaw #roblox #copyright #markowitzherbold

Copyright goblins -- on Nov. 6, 2024 (Wednesday) at 12pm Pacific time, I'll be co-hosting another monthly Copyright Interest Group call of the California Lawyers Ass'n. We'll discuss the most recent (and, at times, ghoulish) copyright developments over the past month, including: - Key GenAI + copyright developments - Interesting Copyright Claims Board updates - 2 Live Crew's successful reclaiming of copyrights to its songs - Weird copyright infringement verdict ($9.4 million in damages) awarded to American Airlines for Skiplagged’s use of AA's logo - Jeff Sedlik’s opening Ninth Circuit appellate brief against Kat Von D  - Muhammad Ali’s photographer wins $1.65 million in copyright lawsuit  - Gigi Hadid’s no-defense strategy pays off in copyright default - Recap of some recent high-profile copyright complaints - DMCA exemptions finalized in ninth triennial Section 1201 proceeding If you'd like the Zoom info for the Nov. 6th call, please send me a message. #copyright

Have you ever heard of copyright's "Mickey Mouse" problem? 🤔 It started when Disney successfully lobbied for an extension of Mickey Mouse' copyright that was set to expire in 1976. 📝 The problem stems from the fact that copyright laws were originally meant to temporarily provide monopolies to creators, allowing them to benefit from their work for a limited period of time. 👌🏽 But, as copyrights neared expiration, companies like Disney and other content owners pushed for extensions that protected their works under copyright for longer periods. 👨⚖️ Critics argue 🙅🏽♀️ that the extensions limit public access to works, stifle creativity, and favour corporate interests over the public good. They claim copyrights should have a limited term so that works can enter the public domain for free use and adaptation. 🤷🏼 What do you think about the "Mickey Mouse" problem? 🤔 Should creative works be protected under copyright for long periods of time, or should creators only benefit from their works temporarily so that the public can have free access to those works? Share your thoughts with us! 💬 #DidYouKnow #Copyright #MickeyMouse #Disney #Intellectual Property #CorporateInterests #PublicGood #AspenSahel #Law #Legal #LawFirm #LagosLawFirm #NigerianLawFirm

Publishers are absolutely terrified "preserved video games would be used for recreational purposes," so the US copyright office has struck down a major effort for game preservation #shiftlaw #copyright #copyrightlaw https://lnkd.in/gnsVvyhy

If you're a copyright owner and you bring a timely claim of infringement, you may obtain damages for an infringement occurring outside of the three-year statute of limitations. Read more about the #SCOTUS's decision in this blog post penned by myself and my colleagues Lauren Gregory Leipold and Owen Wolfe. #TeamSeyfarth #GGGBlog #copyright #damages

Copyright in Cinematographic Films: A Landmark Decision in the 'Nayak' Case In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court has clarified a crucial aspect of copyright law in the context of films and their underlying works. In the case of RDB and Co. vs. HarperCollins Publishers India Pvt. Ltd., the Court ruled that copyright in a cinematograph film and the screenplay are distinct and separate entities. The producers of the film Nayak sought an injunction against HarperCollins Publishers for novelizing the film's screenplay. They argued that the copyright of the film, including the screenplay, lay with them as the producers. However, HarperCollins contested this, asserting that the screenplay was authored by the legendary Satyajit Ray, making him the original copyright holder, and upon his death, the rights transferred to his heirs. The Court interpreted Section 13(4) of the Copyright Act, which specifies that the copyright in a film and its screenplay are independent of each other. It also referenced Section 17, ruling that the producers could not claim exclusive rights over the screenplay based solely on their contractual relationship with Ray. The decision underlines the importance of recognizing underlying works' independent copyrights, a crucial factor in future intellectual property disputes in the creative industry. This ruling sets a vital precedent for the entertainment and publishing sectors, emphasizing the autonomy of underlying creative works. #CopyrightLaw #FilmIndustry #Screenplay #IntellectualProperty #LegalInsights #DelhiHighCourt #FilmAdaptation #CreativeRights #CopyrightCase #Nayak

Ini Edo’s Loss at Copyright and Trademark Tribunal In a recent ruling, both the Copyright and Trademark Tribunals decided against Ini Edo in her ownership dispute with Chinenye Nwora over the film "Shanty Town." The key reasons for the ruling were: 1. Lack of Evidence for Copyright Ownership: Ini Edo failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove her ownership of the film's copyright. he contracts she submitted were only signed by her, without signatures from the other involved parties. 2. Trademark IssuesShe attempted to trademark "Shanty Town" and "Scar" but was denied because she neither originated the names nor contributed to their creation. These rulings offer critical lessons for filmmakers about the importance of solid legal documentation and clarity in intellectual property rights. As a Creative Entrepreneur, protecting your creative Intellectual Property (IP) is the best thing you can do for your brand especially with the increasing rate of exploitation and infringement in the industry. A person who has not registered his Trademark shall not be entitled to institute a proceeding in a court of law to prevent or to recover damages for the infringement of an unregistered Trademark. However, the owner may institute a tortious action for passing off (Section 3, Trademark Act.) In other words the law cannot fully protect what it doesn’t recognize to be yours. #naijabusinessbrand #digitalcreatorjourney #copyrightinfringement #trademark #businesslawyer