Our knowledge-based society exists on information. Today, it is easier than ever before for people to spread intellectual property in St. Petersburg and beyond, making it necessary for us to protect our original works from being reproduced, copied, or sold without permission. A copyright lawyer at Larson and Larson can help you register your creative properties and litigate your infringements.
Why Copyrights Are Important
The law has a long history. As technology introduces new mediums or new ways to infringe on intellectual property, it is revised to battle new loopholes. The fast pace of advancements in technology surfaces new issues and for this reason, the amount of litigation cases happening right now in St. Petersburg have escalated.
These rights exist not only for the financial benefit of artists, but also to encourage the creation of new work, as well as to promote knowledge and creativity in places just like St. Petersburg. The US government is aware that the internet provides a lot of opportunity for intellectual property theft, replication, and duplication. With the help of a copyright lawyer, they want to help you protect your endeavors and to encourage a safe place for creators to produce their work.
This ability to spread information has many benefits. On the other side, sharing information creates many opportunities for infringement of intellectual property. When your work is stolen or copied, you have the legal right to take action. Copyright attorneys work to protect your intellectual property in St. Petersburg to make sure that your creation brings you the recognition and profit you deserve.
Copyrightable Works
The most important thing to remember is that your ideas have no way of being protected because they are not tangible. Material that falls under the protection of the Copyright Law of the United States includes original work that is both published and unpublished. The important thing to remember is that is must be “fixed in a tangible medium of expression”. Most protected works fall into the following categories, although this is not an all-inclusive list:
- Literary works (this includes computer programs)
- Musical creations (including any accompanying words)
- Dramatic works (including any accompanying music)
- Pantomimes and choreographs
- Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural designs
- Motion pictures and other audiovisual materials
- Sound recordings
- Architectural designs
Exclusive Rights
The law provides you with you with six basic rights to your creation. You can authorize others to use your work, but unauthorized use gives you the right to take action. With a properly executed agreement, your copyright lawyer will help you ensure the protection of your creation. Some guidelines for your legally binding contract include:
- You can reproduce your work.
- You can prepare derivative works based on the original work.
- You can distribute copies of your work to the public. This includes selling, renting, leasing, lending, or even transferring ownership.
- You can publicly perform your work such as literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works.
- You can publicly display the work, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work.
- You can digitally transmit sound recordings with digital audio transmission.
Copyright Time Limit
The law gives the creator of an original work exclusive legal rights to it for a specific period of time. In general, an author’s or artist’s material is protected for 70 years after their death, but your copyright attorney can discuss unique circumstances with you.
What Can A Copyright Lawyer Do for You?
If you are an author or an artist with original work that needs protection, a copyright lawyer in St. Petersburg is your best source for helping you through the complex licensing process. If someone is misusing your original material without your permission, an experienced attorney could help you litigate your case, making sure your rights as an author or artist are being protected.