West Palm Beach Copyright Litigation Attorney
The Importance of Copyright Law For a Business’ Success Under the Copyright Act of 1976
The Copyright Act of 1976 was a comprehensive revision of laws already in place, and serves as the basis of current copyright law. One of the key issues it addressed was the advance in technology in the past seven decades since the previous copyright act of 1909. In addition, under 102 Subject Matter of Copyright: in General, the act claims the protection subsists, in accordance with the title, in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. Works of authorship include the following categories:
- Literary works;
- Musical works, including any accompanying words;
- Dramatic works, including any accompanying music;
- Pantomimes and choreographic works;
- Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works;
- Motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
- Sound recordings; and
- Architectural works.
Copyright protection is incredibly important for a business or individual because it allows them to profit from their creations. Without that protection, there would be little monetary incentive for new ideas, music, art, design, and entrepreneurship. Capitalism depends on copyright protection possibly as much or more than any other law. As described above, for any business creating images, architecture, art, or audio, copyright law is vital. Without copyright protection, other businesses would not be at all discouraged from attempting to replicate or copy the products and works of art of the original. All entrepreneurship would be be lost. Additionally, copyright protects a company’s branding, as well as what it produces. Branding is an integral part of any successful business, as it allows customers to quickly identify that company or product from a multitude of others. Branding creates an identity and builds a reputation for the company that customers come to know and depend upon. However, copyright protection has it limits. For works created after 1978, copyright protection last for 70 years after the creator’s death. This is done to allow the creator and the creator’s family to seek monetary rewards for their creation before the work is put into public domain for the rest of society. As more and more photos, videos, and music are shared online, often illegally, copyright laws are being violated by many people, many unwittingly so. For example peer to peer music sharing led to numerous copyright violators in the early 2000s. And, in 2014, one company filed nearly 40 percent of all copyright lawsuits, according to the New Yorker. The pornography company Malibu Media began filing lawsuits against individuals who had been pirating the company’s videos. Most of the cases were settled for between $2,000 and $3,000, with some outsiders claiming that Malibu Media’s “business practice” of filing lawsuits was merely a way to make money by shaming individuals into paying, as opposed to their supposed habits (some of the defendants were 90-year-old women) becoing public knowledge.
When your business involves the creation, licensing or distribution of creative works, copyright protection is critical to your success and the continued viability of your business. At the West Palm Beach commercial litigation firm of Pike & Lustig, LLP, our intellectual property lawyers understand how vital it is to protect your copyright against infringement, or to defend against claims that your own work is infringing upon the copyright of others. When your livelihood is at stake, our attorneys take a strong, aggressive and proactive approach to copyright litigation to ensure that your interests are protected.
Copyright Lawyers for the New Millennium
The West Palm Beach copyright litigation attorneys at the law offices of Pike & Lustig, LLP handle ground-breaking copyright infringement litigation that occurs in the wake of technology development. We have copyright knowledge in matters including the application of copyright law to the Internet and other online environments, literal and non-literal copying claims, open source and anti-circumvention issues, secondary liability, fair use and other experience that benefits our clients’ business needs when prosecuting or defending a copyright claim. Pike and Lustig, LLP has a successful track record in defending and obtaining temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions in copyright cases.
Skilled and Knowledgeable Intellectual Property Lawyers for West Palm Beach Copyright Matters
In order to better serve his clients in copyright and related matters, firm partner Daniel Lustig obtained a post-graduate L.L.M. (Master of Laws) degree in Intellectual Property law, above and beyond the J.D. (Juris Doctor) law degree that most lawyers possess. With over sixteen years of combined legal experience with some of Florida’s largest law firms, our West Palm Beach copyright litigation attorneys are able to offer sophisticated litigation services in a small-firm atmosphere, providing personalized service and attention at competitive rates.
At Pike & Lustig, LLP, our clients’ interests come first, which includes detailing a goal-oriented litigation strategy that is within our clients’ litigation budget. If you have a copyright infringement or related litigation matter in state or federal courts in South Florida, contact our office to speak with skilled and knowledgeable copyright litigation attorney.
