Get free answers to your Copyright legal questions from lawyers in your area.
I'm trying to use Warner Bros characters in a fangame and not get sued
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answered on Sep 4, 2023
Using copyrighted characters without permission from the copyright owner, even if you omit their name, can still potentially lead to copyright infringement issues. Copyright law protects the expression of an idea, including characters, and not just their names. If the characters you are using are... View More 
I believe they violated TOS. My account was banned while I wasn’t even streaming. They never told me why I was banned which in their terms of service states they have to apon request. They allowed a lot of bullying and illegal behavior to occur and didn’t defend me from phishing fake accounts... View More
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answered on Aug 6, 2023
Hi there! Happy Sunday.
If you believe your account closure on the livestream platform violates their Terms of Service and you have been waiting for a response since March 2023, you may consider taking the following steps:
1. Review the platform's Terms of Service and policies... View More
I am currently writing a book and probably will have several books which all refer to the name of my group SOLID PERFUME COLLECTORS. I also plan later to begin a website under that same name which is why I'm wondering if I would have to trade mark it. What would be the benefits? What would be... View More
answered on Jul 6, 2023
First, I want to caution that it is necessary to check whether the trademark is in use by anybody else prior to beginning use yourself, or you could be on the receiving end of a cease and desist letter or lawsuit. I recommend hiring an experienced trademark attorney to advise you on the risks and... View More
I still do the podcast weekly, my company just had a 20 person layoff and I was included but they want to claim IP of my podcast which is at 166 episodes. All the work, and my voice was done by me alone but they never fully "sponsored" it. Do I have a fighting chance here?
answered on Jun 13, 2023
This topic falls under copyright law. Ordinarily, the author (and copyright owner) is the person or persons who
actually creates the work (podcast). However, “Works made for hire” are an exception to this rule. For legal purposes,
when a work is a “work made for hire,” the... View More
So I had Geico in the past and my thing is I had more than one insurance companies and yet Geico is still charging me they're saying right now I just got a paper in the mail stating I have a Mercedes-Benz black and I owe them $1,000 or 2,000 and I'm like I never had a Mercedes-Benz I... View More
answered on May 30, 2023
It is not clear what notice you gave GEICO, other than indicating that you called them. Follow up your call with a certified letter indicating that you have never asked them to insure a Mercedes. If you can't get an acceptable quote from GEICO, get one from another insurance carrier.
I have a copyright application submitted for a phrase that I intend to sell on hats, shirts, stickers and cups. Do I need to submit a copyright request for separate categories since I intend to sell it on different types of items? I am being told that stickers are a different category from... View More
answered on Apr 10, 2023
This appears to be a question about trademarks, not copyrights, which non-lawyers often confuse.
Trademarks are registered in various types of goods and services according to their classification (for instance, apparel, printed material, and cups), and when filing an application to register... View More
answered on Apr 8, 2023
Maybe. You should consult with an attorney.
It may depend on the limitations of the original seller.
My friend & I like to design & create sports cards of wrestlers from different companies both past and current using images (png) we find online from whatever website has what we're looking for, then using an app on our phone we assemble & alter/manipulate (color/brightness etc)... View More
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answered on Feb 25, 2023
It is not legal to use images that you find online without permission from the copyright holder. Even if you manipulate them to create a new product, you could still be infringing on the original creator's rights. If you want to create sports cards using images of wrestlers, you should obtain... View More
I am developing a NFT collection based on animated sitcons. I know that tracing over the character image to create a new art work is illegal. But what about assets present in the character picture? Things like hats/hairs/clothes and other assets. Can I trace over this assets present in the original... View More
answered on Jan 16, 2023
Your question concerns whether the proposed use of the copyrighted material is covered by the "fair use" defense to copyright infringement. Fair Use under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act provides for certain cases where permission from the rights holder is not required. Courts... View More
answered on Aug 30, 2022
The answer depends on many variables such as are you going to make business with these shirts? Are you going to use the shirt only for your private purposes (like wearing it by yourself)? If you are going to sell these, are there similar/identical trademarks in such segment in your country?... View More
I am working at a fortune 500 company as a software developer. At the time of employment, I signed an agreement that said if I work on anything even during my own time the company would own it. Is there a statute of limitation on the contract? If I make a service/product now while employed at the... View More
answered on Aug 9, 2022
Each case is different but generally speaking, under the U.S. copyright laws, works created by employees within the scope of their employment are considered "works made for hire" and are owned by the employer and not the actual employee who created such works. Works are also considered... View More
I had a book published through a publisher and they charged me to get the copyright. Then when I went to another publisher for a second book and they said the first publisher couldn't do that, that it was illegal.
answered on Jun 25, 2022
Most likely you agreed to terms of a contract with the first publisher that enabled it to charge this, which is predatory. Registering the copyright in a book is a trivial expense (copyright office electronic filing: single author, same claimant, one work, not for hire, $45) and generally is just... View More
I’m wondering if her husband has any legal rights in the state of Florida there is no contract all the books are on my computer but he did create the artwork that I will not use.
answered on Jun 16, 2022
If you co-authored the books, then you could be a joint author and copyright owner with the deceased writer. Giving your co-author their attribution would be appropriate and giving their estate their portion of any proceeds due to the sale of the books is also appropriate. More facts may be... View More
I am publishing a book of then and now photos. The "then" photos are public domain and some of the "now" photos contain the exteriors of a business shot from the street. Do I need permission from the business to publish the photo?
answered on May 15, 2022
You do not need permission from the business to take a photo from a publicly accessible location, and as the photographer you will own copyright in the photo with the right to publish it.
I received an email from Etsy that another shop owner accused me of intellectual property infringement. The products were both shirts that have the phrase "but did you dye?" on them (different designs). Her shirt does have "TM" after the name in the product title, but I looked... View More
answered on Feb 28, 2022
You should definitely consult with an attorney.
She may have rights to a brand even if it is not registered.
I originally created the image for a fan page on Facebook, Facebook changed their policy on using pseudonames and deleted the page the image was originally posted on, I still have the original.
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answered on Feb 18, 2022
It depends what you mean by "slightly" altered. And how do you know how much profit that person generated?
In any event, if you believe you were first in time to create it, you can have a lawyer send Cease and Desist letter to this person not to use it again. If this artwork is... View More
I am a wedding coordinator. An all-inclusive venue hires me to coordinator their weddings for their couples. They do the same with every vendor, they hire the DJ, the caterer, everyone. They give credit on social media to every vendor except me. They tag themselves as the Coordinator. We do not... View More
answered on Feb 10, 2022
Can you successfully sue the vendor for not giving you credit (i.e.: free advertising) for the work you do for them? No; just because they give others who work for them, they don't have to give you credit. How have they tried to prevent you from advertising your business?
I own a small business that prints artwork wholesale for individuals and businesses. We take every necessary precaution that we’ve purchased rights to most of the art that we print, but some art comes to us by email from businesses that assure us they have permission to reproduce it. What if... View More
answered on Feb 4, 2022
Have them provide proof of permission.
Either a license, contract or similar.
Have them sign your terms where they become liable and protect you.
And check with professional liability, to see if you can buy protection for copyright infringement.
Consult with an attorney.
Note that this is assuming the email was obtained legally.
answered on Feb 1, 2022
If, as you say, it is copyrighted material that you are copying, then copying it could be infringement even if no distribution occurs and even if no commercial use is made of it. It would not be infringement, however, if the portion copied is not protected by copyright. For example, if the only... View More
I like discovering strange vintage pieces and I don't necessarily want to make "replicas" as I do want to make some alterations to the antique designs/make them more modern/brand-able. I just want to make sure I'm not stepping on anyone's toes/ violating some... View More
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answered on Jan 14, 2022
Jewelry is copyrightable, but from your description its copyright has long since expired. See: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/copyright/publicdomain
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