Copyright Law Collection
About Copyright Law
Copyright is a limited property right, created by statute, which is
granted automatically to authors in their original expression.
In the US, copyright is governed by the
Copyright Act
— chapters 1 through 8 of Title 17,
United States Code.
The current Act was adopted in 1976 and came into force in 1978.
It has been amended numerous times since then.
Copyright protects the broad spectrum of creative expression, from
written works like novels and poetry, to music, recorded sounds, works
of visual art and motion pictures. It also protects more prosaic
works like catalogs, directories and other compilations of data.
Copyright also protects computer programs and electronic databases.
A copyright owner has the exclusive right to authorize or prohibit
the following acts:
- Reproduction
- Adaptation
- Distribution
- Public performance
- Public display
There are a number of exceptions and limitations to a copyright
owner's exclusive rights. Perhaps the best known of these
exceptions is fair use. Fair use permits limited uses of a
copyrighted work based on an analysis of several statutory
considerations, such as the nature of the use and the impact on the
copyright owner's market.
Unauthorized exercise of a copyright owner's exclusive rights that
doesn't qualify for one of the exceptions and limitations in the law is
an infringement. Copyright owners can obtain a range of remedies
against infringement in a civil suit. In some cases infringement
can also be a prosecuted as a criminal violation.
About the Collection
I have collected a number of materials (or links to materials)
related to copyright law:
Copyright Laws:
Every copyright enactment in the United States since 1783. To my
knowledge, this is the only digital collection of its kind.
Pending
Legislation: All copyright bills introduced in this Congress.
Landmark Cases:
Important copyright cases that I have selected.
Miscellaneous:
Amicus briefs, articles, etc.