The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers all of the western states, ruled today that digital sampling of a brief snippet from a sound recording did not constitute copyright infringement.
Read MoreWhen you bring your art to some third party to sell, that is called a consignment. Oregon law provides powerful, unwaivable, rights for artists (or their heirs) who sell their fine art through third parties. This article addresses important definitions contained in Oregon’s fine art consignment statute, what loss or damage may be covered by the law, when payments must be made after a sale, ownership issues, purchaser information, and necessary contract terms.
Read MoreA San Diego jury in federal court recently gave a big win to singer/songwriter Victor Willis of the Village People, increasing Willis’ share of royalties for multiple compositions, including the hit song “Y.M.C.A.”
Read MoreIn our March and April workshops, Copyright Basics and Basics of Online Infringement Remedies for Creatives, we discussed some complex copyright issues, especially involving what constitutes fair use and how to protect and use images in the digital age. The U.S. Copyright Office has recently announced that it is taking some steps in an attempt to clarify or provide support for these issues.
Read MoreLast week the United States Tax Court issued an important ruling concerning the ability of artists to deduct art-related expenditures.
Read MoreLet’s face it, copyright can be a counter-intuitive mess. From figuring out the boundaries of the “fair use” doctrine, to understanding why certain sound recordings are protected under federal law (those made on or after February 15, 1972) and some are protected, if at all, under state law (those made prior to 2/15/72), copyright can be a real pain.
Read MoreShould Visual Artists get a cut of subsequent sales of a work?
New legislation has been introduced in Congress that would amend the federal Copyright Act to grant some artists the right to receive up to 5% of the sale price on resales of their artwork.
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