Registering a Copyright

P

Peternap

Well-known member
Copyrights are the most confusing issue I deal with. Granted, most of my stuff delights me to no end if someone thinks it's good enough to copy...but once in a while I turn out something I want to keep.

I was not aware that one needed to register a Copyright to protect the content. In reading this, it seems I do:

In December, the couple’s case took a hit when U.S. District Judge George Wu said Dane and Gayheart could not recover statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringement because they registered the tape with the Copyright Office days after Gawker posted it. Proving damages became tougher but the couple still argued they were entitled to Gawker’s profits from posting the video.
http://thresq.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/08/gawker-pays-to-settle-mcsteamy-copyright-suit.html

Can someone point me to a site that has a little more information?
Thanks!
 
While copyright is automatic, some of the legal remedies it affords in the event of infringement are not. You can't legally sue or issue a cease and desist until you formally register the work with the copyright office which is what the contention with that particular case was. It is also possible to lose the right to statutory damages and legal reimbursement fees should they be able to prove you registered the work more than three months after creation.
 
The US Copyright Office web site, copyright.gov, has a lot of information about copyright law in the US, as well as information and forms for filing.
 
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