The Basics Of Copyright Laws In California
Originality and innovation are essential elements to a business' success. Not to mention, coming up with new products, designs, or any other innovations for your business takes time, effort, and creativity.
That said, you don't want people to steal all your ideas and profit off of them. So in this post, we'll discuss California Copyright Laws and you can fight for your intellectual property.
What Is A Copyrighted Material?
When an individual or company comes up with a new product, design, or innovation, it can be registered as copyrighted material.
Whoever is registered as a copyright holder has the sole right to profit from said material.
What Is Copyright Infringement?
In essence, copyright infringement occurs when you use one or more of a copyright owner's exclusive rights. As a result, if you use someone else's work without permission, you risk being sued.
The exclusive rights of the copyright owner are as follows:
Create duplicates of their work.
Make a work that is derivative.
Make copies of the work available to a larger audience.
Display the work that has been copyrighted.
Make content that is copyright protected available for purchase (i.e., merchandise)
Perform or play the material (i.e., audio recordings, songs, movies, etc.)
The majority of these rules are in place to safeguard someone's original work or ideas. These ensure that the copyright owner is the only one who can profit from their copyrighted content.
If someone wants to use these materials, they'll have to seek the copyright owner for permission.
To learn more about your rights, contact a West Covina Copyright Infringement Lawyer in California. An attorney can look through your case, analyze it, and help you safeguard your rights.
What's The Evidence Needed To Prove Copyright Infringement?
The plaintiff must normally establish the following in order to prosecute a successful claim of copyright infringement:
That they are the legitimate copyright owners (or have the legal right to sue)
Evidence proving the defendant copied the original work, either directly or by evidence that shows:
The defendant had access to the original work and created one that is strikingly identical to the one that was copyrighted.
The work of the defendant is strikingly comparable to the copyrighted work.
Copyright protects the sections of the work that have been copied (i.e., not merely copying portions from the copyrighted work)
For assistance in gathering evidence and moving forward with the claims procedure, contact a West Covina Business Lawyer near you.
What Can You Get From Successful Copyright Claim?
The copyright owners may recover one of the following if the defendant is found guilty of copyright infringement:
Monetary Losses (also known as "quantifiable damages, like lost profits)
Statutory Damages (also known as "intangible losses")
More importantly, if the plaintiff can show that the violation was intentional, the statutory damages could be significantly increased.
The amount you can recover from a successful claim, on the other hand, is determined by the facts of your case, the evidence you can offer, and the competence of your West Covina Copyright Infringement Attorney.
Bottom-line
Copyright laws are meant to protect individuals from copycats who wish to profit off of someone else's idea. After all, differentiating yourself from other companies in your niche can be a huge factor in your business' success.
So, whenever you're faced with shady knock-offs and corporate espionage, make sure you know when to fight back.
Find A West Covina Copyright Litigation Attorney in California
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You can contact us through our 24/7 Live Chat (or complete our submission form) for a free initial case review.
