Florida Copyright Registration Lawyer
Florida Copyright Lawyers Assisting Business Owners
If you are the owner of any type of original work, from literary and artistic works to computer software, you should consider working with an experienced Florida copyright registration lawyer to protect your work. Getting a copyright is one of the best ways to protect work given that copyright protection can last for decades—and often beyond the death of the creator—depending upon the specific details of the work in question.
What is a Copyright?
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a copyright “protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture.” In other words, copyright is a type of protection that makes clear that you are the creator of a specific work and that you—and you alone—have the right to decide how the work is copied, performed, displayed, and distributed. With a copyright, you also have the right to determine whether anyone is permitted to make derivative works, including translations of your work or any modifications to what you have created.
Unless a work can be used under the doctrine of “fair use,” having a copyright can allow you to file a copyright infringement lawsuit if anyone does something with your work without your permission. To be clear, when you have a copyright and another party copies, performs, displays, distributes, or otherwise uses it to make a related work and does so without your permission, you may be able to sue that party for damages.
How Do I Register a Copyright?
While a copyright exists when you create an original work, whether digital, drawing, painting, photographic or video, registering a copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office provides a public record of your original work and its copyright. To register a work, you must submit a completed application form along with a copy or copies of the work you are seeking to register. To be clear, you cannot copyright ideas or other intangible works. The U.S. Copyright Office cites the following types of works as being eligible for copyright protection:
- 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 audiovisual works;
- Sound recordings; and
- Architectural works.
Filing a Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
Registering your copyright is necessary if you need to file an infringement claim when another party infringes on your original work. Copyright protection is extremely important to ensure that no one else uses your work in ways prohibited by the federal Copyright Act. To prove infringement—or unlawful use of the copyrighted work—a party typically must be able to show the following:
- Work infringing on the copyright is substantially similar to your copyrighted work; and
- Party infringing on your copyrighted work had direct or indirect access to the original work.
Contact a Florida Copyright Lawyer for Assistance with Registration
If you have questions about copyright registration or how a copyright may be able to protect your work, it is extremely important to begin working with a Florida copyright protection attorney. Contact Perkins Law to learn more about how we can assist you with copyright registration in Florida.
