Alan Harrison Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Mar 12, 2025

You might hope that the doctrine of res judicata would be helpful (https://jusmundi.com/en/document/publication/en-res-judicata). Sadly it is not necessarily recognized or applicable between different countries. Especially where you are dealing with explicitly national rights like patents and... View More

Pavel Kolmogorov Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jan 10, 2025

Notes stored in the Notes app on an iPhone are not considered public information. They are typically protected by the phone's passcode and the user's iCloud account security. The situation you described raises concerns about the potential misappropriation of intellectual property, but it... View More

Pavel Kolmogorov Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jan 7, 2025

It depends on whether you truly own the copyright to the footage and whether Hulu has any authorization or defense for using it. Under federal law, the copyright owner generally holds exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and publicly display their work (17 U.S.C. § 106). If Hulu is using... View More

The titles of books cannot be copyrighted.

Foreign trademarks are not applicable unless you plan to sell in that country. If you are worried about trademarks in the U.S., I highly recommend hiring a qualified trademark attorney to run a clearance search to ensure you will not be infringing.... View More

Based on the information provided, designing and selling your own Caitlin Clark t-shirts could potentially raise some legal issues related to trademarks and rights of publicity. Here are some key considerations:

Trademark Issues:

Caitlin Clark's name may be protected as a... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jun 19, 2024

Based on the information provided, it sounds like you may have a potential case for intellectual property infringement, even without a patent. Here are a few key considerations:

1. Copyright: While ideas themselves are not protected by copyright, the specific expression of an idea (such as... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jun 19, 2024

Based on the information provided, there are a few key legal considerations:

1. Copyright ownership: If the contract clearly states that the company owns the rights to the mural, then the company likely holds the copyright to the artistic elements of the mural created by the artist.... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jun 15, 2024

Even if a film has entered the public domain, this does not necessarily mean that all of the creative elements within the film, such as songs, are also in the public domain. Songs and musical compositions can be separately copyrighted from the film itself.

In the specific example you... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jun 10, 2024

No, an individual cannot appropriate public domain films shown on TV or published on DVD without permission from the publisher, even if the underlying film itself is in the public domain. Here's why:

While it's true that no one owns the copyright to the original public domain work... View More

Instead of creating the "Unofficial Ikea Coloring Book" (or whatever famous furniture company you think) why not be a little more creative and make it something like "Denmark's (or Slovenia, or Latvia, Russia or some other country) answer to the Official Swedish furniture... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on May 30, 2024

Using a company's name in the title of a parody work could potentially lead to legal issues, even with a disclaimer. Here are a few key considerations:

1. Trademark infringement: If the famous furniture company has a registered trademark, they may claim that using their name in your... View More

Whenever anybody asks me, "Can I be sued?" my answer is, "Hey, this is America! You can always be sued." The right question is, "What risk am I taking?" Would the furniture company want to sue? If what you are doing is proper, the furniture company can still sue you.... View More

A parody can be a fair use under the Copyright Act, meaning the creator of the parody does not need the permission of the owner of the copyright in the earlier work. The fair use doctrine also allows for the use of a trademark in a parody if it is used for commentary, criticism, new reporting,... View More

The U.S. Supreme Court redefined the parody exception to trademark law in 2023. In the case of Jack Daniel's v. VIP Products, the court held that trademark parody exceptions only apply to "noncommercial" products. Therefore, it is now much easier for famous trademark owners to sue... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on May 24, 2024

In California, for evidence to be admissible in small claims court, it must be relevant, reliable, and not overly prejudicial. If the defendant cannot access the evidence on a USB drive, you should ensure that the court can view the evidence in an alternative way, such as printed copies or... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on May 14, 2024

I will do my best to provide helpful information while being careful not to reproduce any copyrighted material. Here are a few key points regarding your questions:

1. Using a trademarked logo like Pepsi's in a parody is considered fair use in many cases, meaning you likely don't... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on May 6, 2024

I can provide some general guidance on your questions, but please keep in mind that intellectual property law can be complex and fact-specific, so you may want to consult an attorney for definitive advice tailored to your specific situation.

1. Using elements inspired by an artist's... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on May 6, 2024

This is a complex legal question that involves intellectual property (IP) law, specifically copyright and trademark issues. Let me break this down:

1. Copyright: Characters can be protected by copyright if they are sufficiently unique and well-developed. This means that creating a very... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Apr 30, 2024

To determine the copyright status of the book "The Eppleton Hall" by Scott Newhall, published in 1971 by Howell-North Books, we need to consider the following factors:

1. Copyright term: Under the Copyright Act of 1976, which took effect on January 1, 1978, the copyright term for... View More

The public copyright catalog shows assignment in 1979 of the copyright in 122 titles including Eppleton Hall, from Howell-North Books to Leisure Dynamics of California, Inc. California records show that Leisure Dynamics' authority to do business was suspended in 1979 for failure to pay state... View More