Blog – Adam Garson Law

Question on a Keyboard

Dear Doc: If something, a photo, music, a video, is in the “public domain,” then why must I pay for a license from Getty Images to use it? Shouldn’t it be free? Signed,Concerned Confused Citizen Dear CCC: You are, indeed, confused. You see, being in the “public domain” just means that there are no legal […]

Extended Arm

The Long-Arm Reach of U.S. Trademark Law – We’ll Soon Learn Just How Long It Is One may correctly assume that United States trademark law under the Lanham Act applies to conduct in the United States. That, of course, makes sense. But what if you are a U.S. company exporting goods abroad and your trademark is infringed […]

Bill Clinton

 “There is not a sexual relationship.” … “It depends on what the meaning of ‘is’ is.” President Bill Clinton Ah, the meaning of words, particularly simple words.  Words you thought that you were intimately familiar with, words that you thought you understood.  Words that can damage your presidency or even wreck your patent. Wait.  A simple word can wreck your […]

Fair Use

Dozens of times over the past 10 years, we have written about the “fair use” exception to copyright infringement.  You may recall that “fair use” under the U.S. Copyright Act permits limited use of copyrighted works for purposes of “criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.” It’s a complex area and one that is continuously […]

Question on a Keyboard

Dear Doc: All this new artificial intelligence on the Internet looks like it can make life easier for authors. Why not have some help writing a first draft? Does the use of a system like ChatGPT have any effect on legal rights? Signed,Not an AI Dear NAAI: You sure stepped into the middle of a […]

Border Protection

Dear Doc:How can federal “troops” (aka officers from Customs and Border Protection) just show up in cities to protect courthouses and other federal property, launch tear gas, and arrest people? Isn’t there something about limited jurisdiction and federalism that makes such things illegal?Signed,Anonymous Protestor Dear AP: You might think that these officers showing up in […]

Wisconsin Gruyere

We have two trademark news updates this month: In our February 2022 newsletter, we discussed the importance of “geographical indications” in trademark law. You may recall that a geographical indication is an association between a geographical region and a particular product. To quote ourselves: Champagne is from the Champagne region of France, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and […]