Copyright

“"To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries" - United States Constitution, Article I § 8 Clause 8”

Sacramento Copyright Attorney

The United States Constitution grants Congress the power to regulate intellectual property, including copyright. To that end, the field of copyright is regulated by Title 17 of the United States Code.

A Sacramento copyright attorney can help you at whichever stage of the copyright process you are at. Contrary to some popular views, a work becomes copyrighted at the moment of its creation. To recover under the copyright statute, you need to register your work with the United States Copyright Office. We can help you with the registration process. Books, articles, photographs, paintings, and the like can all be registered with the Copyright Office. Software may also be copyrighted, but you should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of trying to copyright software with a Sacramento copyright attorney.

Bringing a claim for copyright infringement or induced copyright infringement can be challenging. Numerous defenses to a copyright lawsuit exist, such as fair use. Fair use in particular can involve heavy and protracted factfinding, and you should not attempt to litigate either side of the issue without qualified assistance. Other defenses also exist, such as equitable defenses. In particular, a defendant can claim that the plaintiff has not acted quickly enough to protect their copyright, or that the plaintiff abandoned their interest in the copyright.

No matter where you are in the process, you do not have to do it alone.

  • Copyright claims.
  • Copyright litigation.
  • DMCA assistance.
  • Equitable claims & defenses.
  • Fair use.
  • Copyright validity claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes.

We do not advise people on applicable statutes of limitations until we have entered into a representation agreement and know what claims may be appropriate. But because both equitable and legal defenses can apply to these claims, you should not wait.

We handle assisting clients with copyright registrations at a flat rate. Litigation matters will depend on which side of the dispute you are on and the complexity of the issue. Because we offer free consultations, you have little to lose by meeting with us so we can give you an accurate estimate once we know more.