Get free answers to your Copyright legal questions from lawyers in your area.
I'm a streamer playing Minecraft, Fortnite, etc. and know not to use the actual audio of a song (unless it's copyright free or old enough, etc.), but I'm not sure if I can just sing a pop song by someone famous without potentially getting into legal trouble... YouTube hasn't... View More 
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answered on Jan 25, 2025
If you are seeking to use the captions from a YouTube video as your own lyrics, this may be considered copyright infringement if you are not using the captions for a different purpose, such as for education or commentary purposes in Fair Use.
Captions to a YouTube video are justified for... View More
This is an interview with a choctaw native american man who had told the author the history and cultural practices of the tribe.
answered on Jul 25, 2024
If you have found an unpublished manuscript written in 1860, detailing the history and cultural practices of the Choctaw tribe, you may be able to publish it and make money from it. Here are the key considerations:
Copyright Status
Public Domain: Works published before 1924 are... View More
This is an interview with a choctaw native american man who had told the author the history and cultural practices of the tribe.
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answered on Jul 21, 2024
Publishing an unpublished manuscript from 1860 involves several considerations. First, you need to determine if the manuscript is still under copyright. In the United States, works published before 1924 are typically in the public domain, meaning they are free to use. However, because this... View More
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answered on Jun 10, 2024
When a person has a Creative Commons license, it means they have chosen to share their work with certain permissions for others to use it. This license allows others to use, distribute, and sometimes modify the work, depending on the specific terms of the license. Creative Commons licenses come in... View More
answered on Jun 4, 2024
An Oklahoma attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for two weeks. There is a creative commons license that publishers follow in using certain publicly posted images, if that's the license you are talking about. As for the arbitration provision, it's possible that... View More
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answered on Jan 10, 2025
Starting a Joplin tribute band is an exciting venture that can honor her incredible musical legacy. You don't need explicit permission to perform her songs live, as long as the venue has the proper performance licensing (typically through ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC).
If you plan to record... View More
I own a paint party business and love beetlejuice and Halloween. I would love to offer a paint party to teach a cartoon character of beetlejuice in honor of Halloween and the upcoming movie. Is this possible to do without getting in trouble for copyright/trademarks issues?
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answered on Aug 11, 2024
You can hold a paint party focused on general Halloween themes, but using the specific likeness of a character like Beetlejuice can lead to copyright and trademark issues. Beetlejuice is a protected character owned by a company, and using it in a way that could be seen as commercial—like a paint... View More
If there is an old dice game that I can find no record of on the internet or anywhere else then where I have heard of it from in person, is it copyright to turn it into an application for devices for everyone to play? I cannot find an original creator or owner of the game and everyone I’ve ever... View More
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answered on Aug 29, 2023
Under U.S. copyright law, game mechanics and rules are generally not copyrightable; however, the specific expression of those rules (such as in a rulebook) or any associated artwork may be. If you substantially reimagine the game, including its rules and appearance, your version could be considered... View More
I purchased a company in 2011. They had previously produced videos and copyrighted these videos. Do I own the copyrights to these videos? If so, how do I make that claim?
answered on Apr 23, 2023
If you acquired all the assets, that would include both tangible and intangible assets such as copyrights and trademarks. The purchase agreement should make it clear what was transferred. The company may have registered the copyrights, in which case you need to record assignments of the copyright... View More
Someone I don’t know took photos I had posted on my Facebook account and posted them on their Facebook account pretending my child was theirs
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answered on Jan 24, 2023
If you took the image, it is your image (i.e., you own the copyright - even if you never registered it). Being that the use by the imposter would not appear to be commercial in nature, suing for copyright infringement may not be the most exciting option (especially since you cannot get attorney... View More
In clinic, or school program that helps secretly get resources out on human trafficking. Program design to help keep individuals safe. After wrongful termination the clinic is still wanting to use my ideas.
answered on Sep 2, 2022
It is not certain how long have your invention been public and other details. Computer programs themselves are mostly not patentable but in some cases they can be patentable (you can patent processes performed by the software). However, if your software is no longer novel, you will not be able to... View More
I was in an online group for a project awhile back and in the group I made a character design. I’ve since left the group and was wondering if the design would legally be considered mine or the groups? There were no contracts involved, and the character design doesn’t belong to the group, it was... View More
answered on Apr 27, 2022
As the creator of an original work, you own copyright in the work unless there was an agreement that it was a "work for hire". There being no such agreement, you retain all rights in the work and should inform the group to that effect, and insist that your work not be included in the... View More
answered on Oct 31, 2021
Unfortunately your question is a bit cryptic in that it provides very little details and doesn’t really ask a question, it’s more of a statement. From what I can glean you are worried about getting arrested. If they did not arrest you at Walmart, than they are unlikely to do so after the fact.... View More
I buy the product from a source that is allowed to make the sticker or decal and I put it on a product to sell. Do I still have to get a Craftman license to be able to sell that with that sticker on it?
answered on Mar 22, 2021
There isn't enough information here to fully answer your question.
It does, however, sound like (depending on a lot more information) you could get in trouble for copyright and/or trademark infringement, fraudulent misrepresentation, or something else.
I got stopped for speeding and my car started smoking and I got out to check to see if my car was on fire or if it was just steaming, the officer was in his car running my licenses and writing a ticket.
answered on Feb 8, 2021
The question posed sounds like you got in trouble for exiting your car during a traffic stop. However, your facts leave too much for interpretation. In short, if your car is on fire, you are not required to sit in it and burn to death, nor would any law enforcement officer expect you to. On the... View More
answered on May 4, 2020
It will be important to have a written agreement in place before any work is performed that obligates the developer to keep the trade secrets associated with the development/launch of your website as well as keeping secret other information before you are ready to make anything public. Often such... View More
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answered on Feb 3, 2020
Your ability to use the word "gunmetal" depends on its use within your mark and the other mark. Examining attorneys look at the mark itself as well as the class of goods or services in which the mark is being (or will be) used. I would suggest enlisting the services of a trademark... View More
answered on Sep 9, 2019
depending on what you are trying to accomplish, yes
it would be a license, you pay upfront and/or royalties on units sold.
consult with an attorney to get a better assessment of your options and risks.
answered on Aug 30, 2019
It could stand for any number of things. It could be something dealing with Public Health, Public Housing, or possibly based on the name of a city or town. It's anyone's guess. If you received something that looks legal or formal that contains the abbreviation, contact the sender and ask... View More
answered on Jul 10, 2019
You can file a provisional patent application and say patent pending for a year but that may not be a long-term fix. In order for the patent process to be valuable to you, you need to get claims in a non-provisional application through the examination process. You will need to show that what you... View More
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