Copyright
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COPYRIGHT LAWYERS
At Darkhorse Attorneys, we offer customized services for every client, including copyright applications and intellectual property counsel.
WHAT IS A COPYRIGHT?
According to the United States Copyright Office, a copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship. Unlike trademark protection, copyright protection exists immediately after the author fixes the work into a tangible form of expression. Specifically, this protection tends to arise in the creation of paintings, photographs, musical compositions, computer programs, books, and even things like architecture and blog posts. While you are not required to take any additional steps to achieve copyright protection on your original works, the same cannot be said for defending your copyrights. In today’s technologically savvy society, it has become incredibly common for others to steal or misappropriate the work of the authors, making it incredibly important to be proactive in the defense of your work.
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DO I NEED A COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION FOR MY WORK?
As mentioned above, you do not need a copyright registration in order to protect you works of authorship. These works automatically gain copyright protection as soon as they are fixed into a tangible medium such as a photograph or paint on a canvas, provided that they are in fact original. While this protection extends to the full work and is not limited by geography, the remedy that may be available in the event that your work is stolen may be limited if you do not pursue a copyright registration for your work. Obtaining a copyright registration from the United States Copyright Office not only entitles you to the normal remedies that are available without a registration, but may allow you to receive statutory damages which could be substantially larger.
In addition to the availability of additional remedies, obtaining a copyright registration also provides the benefit of a simplified litigation process in the event that someone misappropriates or challenges your work. By obtaining a copyright registration certificate for your work, you will have prima facie evidence that your copyright is valid and that you are the owner of the work in question. This means that you will not be required to prove ownership of your work or that copyright protection exists for it, greatly reducing the complexity of any litigation and potentially decreasing its overall cost substantially.
Copyright registrations can be obtained either independently or in collections, such as a large collection of photographs or artwork, which allows for the registration process to be simpler and more affordable.
WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE USES YOUR WORK WITHOUT PERMISSION
If you discover that someone else has taken your work, contact Darkhorse Attorneys right away. We have helped countless individuals and businesses protect their copyrights and resolve disputes efficiently through negotiation, mediation, and litigation. As the premier intellectual property law firm in Lynchburg, we have had great success in forcing the infringing party to cease all use of the misappropriated work and compensating our clients for the damage done by the misappropriation.
This success can be attributed to the strategic and custom tailored approach that we take with each and ever copyright matter that we handle. This means that everything we do is is customized and crafted to further your specific goals and circumstances. We cut no corners and make it a point to communicate with you clearly and promptly at every turn to ensure that you are well informed and have a clear understanding of your options as we move through your matter.
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