Idea/Expression

The Legal Blog of The Copyright Alliance

Copyright Review Principles and Consensus
May 16, 2013
Zechariah Chafee, a godfather of 20th century legal philosophy, wrote an influential article on copyright law in the early twentieth century. At that time, technology was exploding: for the first time in history, it was not only possible to record sound and images, but to transmit them across vast...
Nimmer on Copyright Celebrates 50 Years
May 9, 2013
On Monday afternoon, the copyright community gathered at the Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress to celebrate half a century since the influential treatise, Nimmer on Copyright, was first published. The event, entitled “Nimmer on Copyright: Celebrating 50 Years,” was part of the...
Copyright Alliance files amicus brief in Aereokiller case
May 7, 2013
On Friday, the Copyright Alliance filed an amicus brief in Fox Television Stations v. Aereokiller, currently in front of the Ninth Circuit. The brief, authored by Eleanor Lackman of Legal Advisory Board member Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard, was joined by the Center for Individual Freedom...
Craigslist Ads Classified as Copyrightable
May 2, 2013
Craigslist has it all — the ability to rope-in a wedding date, test the online market for live ducks and reconnect with that long-lost glove. But with this freedom and ability to contribute user-generated content, come a slew of questions about intellectual property ownership.  This past year, the...
Television studios file briefs in Aereokiller
Apr 30, 2013
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will soon weigh in on the issue of internet retransmission of television. The decision could cause significant ramifications, not only for broadcasters, but for all copyright owners who rely on the increasingly important public performance right. Last week,...
ICYMI: Unhelpful Rhetoric Surrounds WIPO Treaty for Visually Impaired
Apr 24, 2013
Yesterday, the Huffington Post ran an op-ed by MPAA CEO Chris Dodd, MPAA Supports Meaningful Treaty for Visually Impaired. In it, Dodd discusses a WIPO treaty that is intended to facilitate access to books for the visually impaired, set for final negotiations this June. The former U.S. Senator...
Plaintiffs Press Pause in WNET v. Aereo Case
Apr 17, 2013
Earlier this month, in a 2-1 decision, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s finding in WNET v. Aereo, Inc. The case, which pivots on the court’s interpretation and application of the public performance right for copyright holders, represents an on-going dispute over Aereo’...
Fair Use is Fair Game: MPAA Files Amicus Brief in NFL Intellectual Property Case
Apr 11, 2013
On Monday, the Motion Picture Association of America, in conjunction with the International Documentary Association and Film Independent, took the field for fair use and filed an amicus brief in support of the defendants in Bouchat v. NFL Enterprises, NFL Network Services Inc., and NFL Productions...
WNET v. Aereo: Split Appellate Panel Rules That “Remote-Storage DVR” Decision Insulates Provider of Internet Streaming from Liability
Apr 10, 2013
The following is a piece written by Eleanor M. Lackman of Copyright Alliance Legal Advisory Board member Cowan DeBaets Abrahams & Sheppard LLP. For more from CDAS, be sure to visit their Entertainment & Media Law Blog.    On April 1, 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit...
Focus on IP Law: A Conversation with Tal Dickstein
Apr 3, 2013
In 2011, the Copyright Alliance launched a new Legal Advisory Board made up of 15 firms on the East and West coasts. The Legal Advisory Board (LAB) works with the Alliance and its membership to advance copyright strategy, and develop a variety of projects and programs, including providing pro bono...

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