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Copyright
Copyright, a form of intellectual property law (search), protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software and architecture. Copyright law does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed.
Copyright registration (search) is voluntary and you do not have to register a copyright for your work to be protected. However, registration is recommended for a number of reasons. Some of these reasons are:
- If you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of your work it must be registered.
- Registration allows for a public recording of the copyright and you receive a certificate of registration.
- If registration occurs within five years of publication of the work, it is considered prima facie evidence in a court of law.
In the United Stated, for works published after 1977, copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. However, if the work is a work for hire [meaning that the work is done in the course of employment or has been specifically commissioned] or is published anonymously or under a pseudonym, the copyright lasts between 95 and 120 years, depending on the date the work is published.
All works published in the United States before 1923 are in the public domain. Works published after 1922, but before 1978 are protected for 95 years from the date of publication. If the work was created, but not published, before 1978, the copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. And if such a work is published before December 31, 2002, the copyright will last until December 31, 2047.
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