Dear Doc: I know that Mickey Mouse is still enjoying copyright protection because of the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, and that once copyrights expire, characters become “public domain”. How can you explain some of the direct knockoffs I have seen at the Halloween stores, like “A-Lad-In A Costume?” Signed, Perplexed Papa Dear PP […]
All posts by: Lawrence Husick
Dear Doc: Barry Pincus sang, “I write the songs” back in 1975. (You probably know Barry as Manilow. But Bruce Johnston (of Beach Boys fame) actually wrote “I Write the Songs”, and it was first recorded by The Captain and Tennille (who were more famous for “Muskrat Love” which, it seems, was a favorite of […]
Dear Doc: I heard that it may not be legal to take a photo of a city skyline, and to use that photo. Or maybe it is. Can you help me to understand what’s going on in the law? Signed, Insel IdimsDear Mr. Idims:You are correct. Two recent cases involving photographs of the Philadelphia and […]
Dear Doc: What’s new and exciting in the world of copyright law? Signed, Very Bored and Easily Amused Dear Very and Easily: Funny you should ask! There is much to report in the fascinating realm of copyright, as authors and other creative types battle the force of evil to protect their creations (and as their […]
Dear Doc, I saw an advertisement in an in-flight magazine that showed the “Top Attorneys”. I’ve seen attorneys who say that they are “SuperLawyers”. I’ve even seen a listing of “America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators”. Can there really be so many great lawyers? Signed, Confused Dear Confused: The Doc has long been confused […]
Dear Doc: Shakespeare, in Henry VI, Part 2, has Dick the Butcher say, “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” Now I know how he must have felt. You see, my friend and I filed a writ of habeas corpus in court in New York. We are being held prisoner, and […]
Dear Doc: I’m an AMERICAN. I run an AMERICAN business. I sell red hats that say “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” I have an AMERICAN website. My customers are mostly proud AMERICANS. Now a bunch of FOREIGNERS from EUROPE are making rules about the information that I collect and the emails that I send. SAD! Can’t […]
On April 23, 2018, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided that Naruto, the monkey who took a selfie, lacked standing to bring a law suit in under the Copyright Act. “We must determine whether a monkey may sue humans, corporations, and companies for damages and injunctive relief arising from claims of copyright infringement. Our […]
Dear Doc: I’ve always heard that Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over ’till it’s over.” I’ve also heard (not to engage in body-image shaming) that, “It’s not over ’till the fat lady sings.” Now I hear that the copyright case between Oracle and Google, which I read was over (Oracle lost) is not over at […]
Dear Doc: The United States Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. §§101 et seq. – see, I can lawyer-speak!) was passed more than 40 years ago, in 1976. Back then, the Internet was the ARPANet, there was no World Wide Web, no twittering (except among groups of birds or young women, and no, we don’t say that […]