Dear Doc, I thought that you were Dr. Copyright. What’s with this new name? Signed, Madame Miriam Abacha (wife of late ruler Sonny Abacha of Lagos, Nigeria) Dear Madame: You may have heard that a large law firm in Bermuda, Appleby, had 13.4 million of its documents stolen by hackers and delivered to the German […]
Ask Dr. Copyright
Ask Dr. Copyright is a monthly column that tackles common misconceptions in the areas of intellectual property law especially, copyright.
Dear Doc: I’m an attorney, and like most other lawyers, I went to law school because just the thought of taking organic chemistry in college gave me the dry heaves. Now the state Supreme Court has added a new rule that all lawyers have to follow. That rule says, “To maintain the requisite knowledge and […]
Postage Stamps, Public Artworks and Copyright Infringement Dear Doc: I’ve heard that when the Post Office makes a mistake in printing a stamp, they can really increase in value. I’ve also heard that the USPS made a whopper of a mistake that is headed for court soon. What can you tell me? Signed, Phil […]
Dear Doc: I know this is not a copyright question, but I hope you can shed light on something that’s been bothering me for some time. Why, in this great and broad country of ours, has it seemed like every other patent case is being decided in an obscure town in East Texas called […]
Dear Doc: I saw that the Charging Bull sculpture near Wall Street has a new “companion” sculpture called “Fearless Girl”, and that the artist who created the bull is none-too-happy about it. He says that the new sculpture changes the meaning of his sculpture from what he intended: “the strength and power of the American […]
Ask Dr. Copyright — Copyright Week
February 16, 2017
Ask Dr. Copyright, Copyright, Intellectual Property
Dear Doc: I heard that January 16-20, 2017 was “Copyright Week”. Wow! Most of us get one day a year to celebrate. How does it feel to get a whole week? Signed, Putative N. Fringer Dear Mr. Fringer: I must say, it feels pretty darn good! Just think…a whole week when millions […]
Ask Dr. Copyright — Louis Vuitton Gets Bagged
January 12, 2017
Ask Dr. Copyright, Trademark
Dear Doc: I understand that it’s sometimes hard to take when someone makes fun of you, but now I have heard that one of the world’s largest brands, LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER, S.A. (LVMH) (owners of, among other brands, Ardbeg, Belvedere, Bodega Numanthia, Cape Mentelle, Chandon, Chandon Argentina, Chandon Australia, Chandon California, Chandon China, Chandon do Brasil, Château […]
Dear Doc: It seems every day that I read about another federal law suit claiming that some musical “artist” of whom I have never heard, claims that another musical “artist” (of whom I may have heard) stole his/her/its music and infringed copyright. Is it just me, or are these claims becoming more frequent? What gives? […]
Ask Dr. Copyright… About Klingon
July 14, 2016
Ask Dr. Copyright, Copyright
Dear Doc: NuqneH! (Hello!) HIQaH! QaH! (Help!) Paramount Pictures Corporation thinks that it owns the copyright to the Klingon language. They’re trying to use that copyright to stop production of a fan film, “Prelude to Axanar” that is being developed with funding from Kickstarter. How is it possible for someone to own an entire language? jIyajbe’ (I don’t understand!) […]
Ask Dr. Copyright … DTSA Immunization
June 6, 2016
Ask Dr. Copyright
Dear Doc: When I joined MegaCorp, I was “asked” (well, told, actually) to sign a nondisclosure agreement that limits what I can do with any trade secrets I may learn while doing my job. That agreement says that I can’t tell a single, solitary soul, and that if I do, MegaCorp will, I guess, […]