Can a copyright be transferred to another person?

Ownership of a copyright is similar to ownership of other types of personal property. A copyright and copyright protection can be sold, given by designation, or transferred just like real estate. You can also add limits on the duration, scope and nature of the transferred copyright. As with other property transactions, business related to a copyright or a transfer of copyright protection must take place in writing.

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Should I copyright my own work, or use an intellectual property attorney to help me?

Remember that although works of authorship generally obtain copyright protection when they are fixed, in practice, you must still register your copyright with the U. S. Copyright Office to enforce your rights or to use the copyright to secure an obligation. There are some occasions when consulting an attorney is a good idea. For instance, if your work was created by more than one author. If you think your work may have commercial value, it would make sense to copyright the work to protect that value.

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How do I obtain and protect a copyright on my work?

Copyright protection arises upon creation of a work, without formal action on the author’s part. However, it is wise to always place a copyright notice-typically a ‘c’ inside a circle, with a year next to it and the name of the copyright holder on every publication of the work.

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What was the Napster case about and what does the outcome mean?

Today’s Napster is not what it used to be. Prior to 2001, Napster was a free download application where music MP3’s could be downloaded, uploaded, and traded free of charge. The idea behind it was that people had a right to share their music with others and Napster was simply providing a means of doing just that. The federal copyright code details specific exclusive rights given to musicians for their works.

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What is required to get copyright protection?

You do not need to apply or register to get copyright protection. Actually, you receive copyright protection when you create the work. The instant you use your pencil, typewriter, or computer to produce something original, it is subject to copyright protection provided it is a copyrightable subject matter. However, registering your work with the Copyright Office expands your protections and oftentimes, this can be done without disclosing the entire work.

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