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North Carolina Copyright Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Copyright for North Carolina on
Q: Would written summaries of published research articles, in which the journal owns the copyright, fall under fair use?

I am trying to determine the paramaters of copyright infringement and fair use when it comes to published research, but have found surprisingly little information online. I know facts are generally considered fair use, but does that still apply when most research articles exist behind a paywall and... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Oct 8, 2024

Determining whether written summaries of published research articles fall under fair use can be complex, especially when dealing with content owned by a journal. Fair use generally considers factors like the purpose of use, the nature of the work, the amount of the original used, and the effect on... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: The church copyright exemption for music public performance includes Sunday school?

I'm a Sunday Bible school teacher for children at my church, and I sing songs with them during our class. Is that legal?

If I start playing the guitar with these songs, would it still be legal? Everything is done in our church kid's classroom

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Aug 30, 2024

Yes, you can legally sing songs with the children in your Sunday school class under the church copyright exemption. The exemption generally covers performances of music as part of a religious service, and Sunday school can be considered part of the church's educational and religious... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Copyright for North Carolina on
Q: Can I print Bible verses from a modern Bible translation to make bookmarks and give to the church members for free?
Alan Harrison
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answered on Aug 29, 2024

You certainly can. Whether you would be likely to get sued is a different question, and whether you would be likely to lose such a lawsuit for copyright infringement is a third question.

Question 2: if you're just making bookmarks for fellow churchgoers, it's unlikely the Bible...
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2 Answers | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: Greetings all, would desperately love to hear your expert opinions. I have this original artwork

Greetings all, would desperately love to hear your expert opinions.

I have this original artwork that was done by a patented printing process and was purchased and commissioned by the family.

I purchased the original artwork from the original owners who had this commissioned as... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jun 27, 2024

To provide the most accurate advice for your situation, it's important to consider several factors regarding copyright law and the specific details of your artwork. Here's an analysis of the key points:

1. Copyright duration:

In the United States, for works created before...
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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright, Intellectual Property and Trademark for North Carolina on
Q: I see that the name Sincity deciples has been abandon. What would need to be done to reclaim it.
James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jun 14, 2024

Reclaiming the name "Sincity Deciples" involves a few steps to ensure you can legally use it. First, check with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to see if the name is currently trademarked. If it has been abandoned, you may be able to file a new trademark application for it.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Contracts, Copyright and Intellectual Property for North Carolina on
Q: Can someone seek revenue share for sales of products for which they never signed an agreement?

Signed deal for 1 product and now asking for revenue share from everything else that was developed later on but no agreement / amendment was signed?

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on May 18, 2024

In general, a person or company cannot claim revenue share for products they did not have a signed agreement for. If they only signed an agreement related to one specific product, that would typically not entitle them to revenue from other products developed later unless those subsequent products... View More

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

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