Article Archive for September 2012
The United States Copyright Office published a request for comments on a prospective federal law to provide artists the right of resale authority. The law would allow artists to receive compensation for works of fine art that are not as marketable to the general public and difficult to create derivative works of art
Earlier this month, Colombia’s Attorney General replied to a constitutional challenge to Law 1520 or Ley Lleras 2.0. Approved last April, this law seeks to implement copyright provisions of the Colombia-US Free Trade Agreement. The Attorney General makes a weak case against the critics of the law.
A federal district court this month denied CafePress’s motion to dismiss a complaint alleging some of its users’ designs infringed upon “Born to Rock” trademarks. CafePress’s user-submission model for its designs is a great way to outsource labor, but trademark law keeps it accountable for any infringement.
Summaries of recent developments in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for August 15 – September 4, 2012.
The Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit files trademark infringement ruling in case between two Crusades-era military orders, stating willful blindness is not a factor in determining fraud on the Trademark Office.
“Ecce Homo” was given to the Santuario by Martinez, a local artist and professor at the School or Art of Zaragoza, about 120 years ago. A sweet old lady, parishioner Cecilia Gimenez – 81 years old – took it upon herself to restore the artwork, with devastating results. However, the work has become a tourist attraction and the “artist” is now claiming royalties from the work.
Julia Schramm, a member of the German Pirate Party’s executive committee, is opposed to the very concept of intellectual property—but her new book has been the subject of aggressive copyright enforcement.
A group of Native Americans, including Amanda Blackhorse, sued Pro-Football, Inc. over the use of the term “Redskins” in several of their registered trademarks.
After claiming copyright in the penny design and threatening to impose a $1,200 tariff on an independent songwriter’s use of the penny image, the Royal Canadian Mint reverses its position, allowing the artist to use the image free of charge.
