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North Carolina Copyright Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: Material Substitute in terms of usage for copyrighted values

I made a website that uses free copyrighted values. The owner claims that my site acts as a material substitute for their site and demands I remove all references and usage of their values. I don't know if there's anything I can do in this situation besides comply.

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Mar 1, 2024

In this situation, it's important to carefully review the claims made by the owner of the copyrighted values and assess whether your website does indeed act as a material substitute for their site. Consider the extent to which your website relies on or replicates the copyrighted values, and... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: Can I put anime stickers from a photo editing application on pictures meant for onlyfans?

I'd like to post content to Onlyfans and add stickers from a photo editing application that are characters from anime shows.

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Dec 1, 2023

Using anime stickers from a photo editing application on pictures you intend to post on Onlyfans can raise copyright issues, particularly if the characters are copyrighted material. Copyright laws protect the creators' rights to their works, including anime characters, and using these... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright, Business Formation, Business Law and Trademark for North Carolina on
Q: I set up a blog about medicine and supplements. And I want to know if the name will get me in trouble. Doham.org

The name I selected is Department of health and medicine. In the about us section of the website, I have a disclaimer, saying that we are not a government organization. I am not making money from this website yet, but I plan to in the future. The LLC name is completely different so I will be DBA... View More

Matthew Alexander Toporek
Matthew Alexander Toporek
answered on Jun 15, 2023

Based on the information you provided, there is certainly a possibility that you could run into issues with that name. The best way to avoid receiving a cease and desist letter is to perform a comprehensive clearance search of the name before putting it in use. A proper search will reveal any... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Copyright, Intellectual Property and Trademark for North Carolina on
Q: If "I Am Unique!" is trademarked, can I use "i am UNIQUE"?

I am looking to add the phrase to clothing and promo items such as mugs, wall art, etc. Also, pay attention to how I utilize the lower case of "i am" and uppercase of "UNIQUE" as well. Not sure that matters.

Would this be permissible, or enfringe on the trademark?

N'kia (NLN)
N'kia (NLN)
answered on May 17, 2023

It would depend in part on what each seller is selling. The purpose of a trademark is to help consumers distinguish between sellers, so that consumers know the specific "source" of the products/services they're buying. Using a phrase that someone else is already using to sell... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: My daughter is a paid hair model. Amazon and Temu sellers use her photos frequently. She has filed reports. Can she sue?

Some merchants are actually changing the hair in her pics or editing her face. It’s been stressful and humiliating and she’s lost hundreds of thousands in potential revenue.

N'kia (NLN)
N'kia (NLN)
answered on May 9, 2023

Whether your daughter might be able to win a lawsuit depends in part on who owns the copyrights to the images. Since she was modeling for someone else, it is likely that they own the copyrights. Therefore, they would have the right to allow others to use the images. She should start by speaking... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Trademark, Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: can artwork or typography be done with the word trademark on reduce reuse and recycle.
Benjamin Charles Korray
Benjamin Charles Korray
answered on Oct 27, 2022

Artwork and typography are usually protected by copyright law. And brands (company names and logos) are protected through trademark law. The answer to your question should start with figuring out who owns the rights to the image or trademark that you want to use.

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright, Intellectual Property and Trademark for North Carolina on
Q: Can I create a new product using a patented logo?
Erik Špila
Erik Špila
answered on Oct 16, 2022

I can only guess, based on information provided, that you mean trademarked logo and not patented logo. If this is the case, no you can not use trademark of someone else to create your own product. It could be copyright or trademark infringement. However for more complete answer you should seek a... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright for North Carolina on
Q: Can you copyright a children book in another name but still be paid a check in real name by store owner?

Rough background and other family members wants privacy.

Fritz-Howard Raymond Clapp
Fritz-Howard Raymond Clapp
answered on Jan 17, 2022

The short answer is YES. It is perfectly fine and common for authors to be identified by pseudonyms (for instance, Dr. Seuss was actually Theodor Seuss Geisel). The copyright in the book by a pseudonymous author is registered in the author's real name, and legal transactions such as... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright for North Carolina on
Q: If I create a logo with a crown similar but not the same as Funko will there be any legal problems?

I want to create a logo with my name and a crown

David Allan King
David Allan King
answered on Oct 28, 2021

Funko does not have a monopoly over the concept of a crown. However, you may have problems if your crown is similar enough to create confusion in the marketplace as to whether you are affiliated with Funko or if it looks like a copy/paste of their art. Merely re-creating, rather than copy/pasting,... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: Can I print url's of commercial web pages in a book without permission?

I am preparing a manuscript for a commercially available book. I want to print url's of articles published on commercial sites to provide background reading for the reader. Are url's copyrighted? Can I use them without permission? Also, are the titles of such articles copyrighted? If... View More

Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
answered on Aug 10, 2021

Good question. You should consult with an attorney on this.

A URL is like the title of a book or article, so it may fall under fair use.

2 Answers | Asked in Bankruptcy, Contracts, Copyright and Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: How do I obtain info about my sole proprietorship
Theodore David Vicknair Sr.
Theodore David Vicknair Sr.
answered on Jul 19, 2021

This is a hard question to understand. Do you currently have a sole proprietorship? Or will it be a new one? Nothing is required to establish a sole proprietorship. Your income is reported on Form 1040, Schedule C or C-EZ. You should be running all income through a separate bank account to... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Trademark for North Carolina on
Q: I have a design I would like to know if it passes the guidelines not to infringe on this trademark.
Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
answered on Jun 7, 2021

Consult with an attorney so she can do proper searches and give you a risk assesment.

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Trademark for North Carolina on
Q: Can I use the phrase "I Spy" in a book title?

I see hundreds of books from various authors with that title on Amazon.

Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
answered on May 31, 2021

No

Consult with an attorney to understand your options and risks

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright for North Carolina on
Q: Can I use a word in a different font and design even though it's trademarked already?
Evelyn Suero
Evelyn Suero
answered on Apr 9, 2021

It may be deemed infringement to use a trademark that is confusingly similar to another trademark that is in use for the same class/category of goods or services. There may not be an issue, however, if the trademarks are used for completely different goods or services when there is no likelihood of... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright for North Carolina on
Q: Copyright and Public Domain

Hello,

I would like to use personal letters, purchased by me at an auction, in a book. People who wrote these letters passed away and 70 years have lapsed after their death. Many of the letters were written in the late 1800s. Are these letters in Public Domain? Am I allowed to use them in... View More

Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
answered on Feb 26, 2021

You should always consult an attorney and this is not legal advice nor forms any attorney client relationship

IF you own the original manuscripts of a work, and the copyright period has expired and nobody else can make a claim to it, most likely you are the owner of it and can do what you...
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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: If I signed something with a publisher, agreeing to give them the copyright for my book, but they never registered it...

Could I potentially register the copyright and own it, despite what I signed? No copyright claim was ever filed for this book

Timothy John Billick
Timothy John Billick
answered on Oct 22, 2020

This is impossible to answer without seeing the contract. If the other party had an obligation to register the copyrights, then perhaps. But it's more likely you already assigned away your rights to the book. Please have an IP attorney read your contract.

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright for North Carolina on
Q: My sister died, without a will, I am her next of kin. How do I acquire the copyrights she had?

She lived and died in MD however she was living in CA when she had materials copyrighted.

Ben Corcoran
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Ben Corcoran
answered on Oct 6, 2020

The estate will likely be handled in CA and you should post your question there rather than under the NC section of this site.

2 Answers | Asked in Consumer Law, Copyright and Civil Rights for North Carolina on
Q: How can I find opinions of Amy Coney Barrett
Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Sep 26, 2020

The Supreme Court's blog has a new page that summarizes her career highlights, and it mentions several cases. Here is the link:

https://www.scotusblog.com/2018/07/potential-nominee-profile-amy-coney-barrett/

Good luck

Tim Akpinar

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3 Answers | Asked in Copyright and Trademark for North Carolina on
Q: Is "Financing The American Dream" Trademarked or Copyrighted by anyone? My company is interested in using it as a taglin
Joanne Belasco
Joanne Belasco
answered on Aug 6, 2020

It sounds like you want to use it with your brand. If that is the case, then it would be a trademark. It's best to hire a trademark attorney to do a comprehensive search. While that slogan may not be trademarked, there may be one that is so close to it that it causes confusion in the... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: What do I need to do to collect fines from songs that I wrote that was illegally published?
Jason Brooks
Jason Brooks
answered on Jul 27, 2020

You have rights but your damages depend on whether you registered the songs with the US Copyright office prior to their unauthorized publication. In any event, a cease and desist letter and demand for damages will Be your First course of action. If you would like assistance with this feel free to... View More

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