Individuals and business owners often need to protect their valuable work via copyright. Oftentimes people are tripped up about what can be copyrighted and what protections copyright registration affords.

Copyright is a form of intellectual property protection that is granted to authors of, “original works of authorship," and is available for published and unpublished works. Works that can be copyright protected include literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. Works that cannot be protected under copyright are facts, ideas, systems, and methods of operation.

The benefits of registering your original work(s) of authorship with the United States Copyright Office to receive copyright protection include: (1) registration creates a public record of the copyright claim and a certification of registration, (2) before an infringement suit may be filed, registration is necessary for works of U.S. origin, (3) after successful litigation, registered works are eligible for statutory damages and attorney’s fees, if registration occurs within three months after the publication of the work, (4) before or within five years of the publication, registration is considered sufficient evidence in a court of law, and (5) registration also allows the owner of a copyright to record the registration with the U.S. Customs Service for protection against the importation of infringing copies.

-by Gloria Mason, Legal Assistant

We can prepare and file your US Copyright registration application. Should you want to learn more about this post or our services, please visit www.DandridgeLaw.com or email ContactUs@DandridgeLaw.com for a FREE Initial Consultation.

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Labels: copyright, copyright application, copyright protection, copyright registration