Q: A book I wrote was pirated and published in Russia, selling 15,000 copies. Is there anything I can do?
A: Yes, there may be something you can do. There are protections for unauthorized use. Here is a publication from the US Copyright Office.(http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ38a.pdf). Obviously, you will need to evaluate your chances of being able to obtain a judgment and collecting it.
A:
The prior answer refers to a Copyright Office brochure. The links at www.copyright.gov have changed. The circular on International Copyright is now at http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl100.pdf.
The prior answer also says there is something you can do. The actual fact is that relative to infringement in Russia there is little you can do, unless the Russian publisher tries to sell in the US or elsewhere outside Russia or the number of copies is sufficiently large to make litigation economically viable. 15,000 copies will probably not be enough. While you can take advantage of a treaty called the Berne Convention of 1989 and the Universal Copyright Convention of 1955 which Russia joined after the fall of the former USSR, the country remains so riddled with corruption that copyright enforcement there is seldom cost effective except on huge items.
1 user found this answer helpful
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.
