Copyright arises from your conversion of your creative artistic expression into a tangible form. When you write a novel, a poem, take a picture, perform or write music or lyrics, make a video recording, draw a picture, paint a painting, you have created a copyright that you own. However, if you do any of these for someone else, you may not own the copyright under works-made-for-hire rules.

More importantly, you cannot enforce your copyright without a registration on file.

Registration gives you the right to sue, including statutory damages up to $150,000, and the ability to potentially get an attorney fee award.

Since 1978, copyright lasts for 70 years plus the life of the author (last to die for joint authors), or for works-made-for-hire, 95 years from the date of publication or 120 years from creation, whichever comes first.

Free consultation. Call 770-777-0977 or 800-701-5782 for an appointment with a patent, trademark, copyright attorney.

Use of this website does not constitute representation by counsel and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

By using this website, you agree to the terms of use

Copyright 2008, Williamson Intellectual Property Law, LLC; all rights reserved worldwide.