Get free answers to your legal questions from lawyers in your area.
The previous curator received articles designated for the museum but failed to log them in as a donation. The original owner has deceased and the only evidence we have is an article written by the previous curator stating that these articles were going into the museum's collection. The son of... View More 
answered on Aug 19, 2017
This is an interesting question. It implicates several legal concerns (1) ownership of the physical letters, (2) ownership of the copyrights in them, and (3) transfer of property of the intestate (no will) of the deceased. As to (1): Intent to give the articles to the museum as a gift can be... View More
answered on Jun 27, 2017
It depends on the rental contract that you have with the land owner. If the contract prohibits you from having dogs or other pets on the property, then likely you cannot have a dog on it. If there is no contract, then an attorney may be required to review the local ordinance on this issue.
She since bought a new car going on trips and is engaged to remarry. She's putting his name on the mortgage. Well that stop me from getting my half
answered on Jun 20, 2017
I would immediately obtain the opinion of an attorney experienced in family law matters. Some of the answer depends on whether-or-not your state recognizes common law marriages, and if so, how does that state's law address distribution of property upon separation.
is a video script considered a tangible medium in order to protect the idea?
answered on Jun 14, 2017
The U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, provides that an original work of authorship automatically has statutory copyright from the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible medium of more than transitory duration. Copyright does not protect ideas, only the actual expression of the idea fixed in a... View More
So i personally shut the gates by 11 but when they come they open it by dashing it with their cars and bikes and leave it open whole night. My house being the 1st in line is endangered and after multiple warnings they still continue. What should i do?
answered on Jun 6, 2017
Much more facts are needed, in particular, a better description of the nature of the property, character of the housing and neighborhood etc. Given the limited information available and the lack of cooperation with whoever "they" are, you may file a complaint with the local police.... View More
answered on Jun 5, 2017
I agree with my colleague's answer. Determining if a mark has been abandonment may require a complicated, mixed considerations of fact and law. For example, a a trademark once registered with the U.S. Trademark Office may have been cancelled for reasons other than abandonment of use of the... View More
I wrote a short manifesto but after I wrote it, I found out that two Nike ads have similar sentences in them. I was really surprised as I haven't copied them but still I'm worried if this could be seen as copyright/trademark infringement or plagiarism.
answered on May 11, 2017
Under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, as amended, copyright does not extend to short terms, phrases and slogans. In addition, to constitute an infringement an original work of authorship that is eligible for copyright protection, a suspect work must be substantially similar to the original work.... View More
Our business redistributes plugins and themes created by 3rd party developers under the GPL license for $9.99 per month. Are we allowed to use the author's logo to credit where the original item is from without being hit with copyright infringement?
answered on Apr 12, 2017
I believe what you intend to use is the author's trademark. To be on the safe side, I would run it by both the third party developer and the owner of the trademark logo.
1) In order to trademark a business that I want to start does the corporation name HAVE to be the same? EG I have come up with a catchy name XYZ for my new venture and would have multiple locations and franchises, is it necessary/would I have to have my corporation name the same XYZ INC as my... View More
answered on Apr 7, 2017
1. You can incorporate under one name, but can actually do business under an assumed name. That assumed name can be a trademark or service mark, as well.
2. Because the U.S. recognizes common law trademark rights based on actual use in commerce (registration does not create the right... View More
I have a fictional character that is part of a group. On items featuring the character, I have "Character, Group, and all related characters are © me"
An individual with a group that has the same name is claiming that by doing this I am putting a copyright claim on the name... View More
answered on Apr 6, 2017
Your factual scenario is a bit unclear. Names, short phrases, slogans and terms are not subject to copyright law. Copyright attaches automatically to original works of authorship, which may include the character that you describe. Copyright notice is no longer obligatory to perfect copyright in... View More
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
