Examining 'Harmless Errors' Provision For Copyright Termination Notices
Part One of this article, last month, introduced the dispute between the heirs of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel and Warner Bros. and discussed the "harmless errors" clause itself. Part Two discusses the Register of Copyrights' regulations and delves into the Siegel heirs and Warner Bros. Entertainment arguments, as well as related court rulings
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Personal Jurisdiction Determined in Suit for Legal Services
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California determined, in a case transferred to it from a New York federal court, that the New York court properly exercised jurisdiction over California defendants, who had hired the plaintiff, a New York lawyer, for entertainment matters.
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The New Realities of Financing Film Productions
Reduced sales of DVDs and increased piracy of filmed entertainment are affecting the profits of studios and other financiers of motion pictures. To lessen this impact, changes are being made in deal terms offered to creative talent ' such as actors and creative producers ' and new relationships are emerging among such talent, financiers and distributors of theatrical motion pictures.
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Registering Marks As Top-Level Domain Names
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN") plans to issue generic top-level domain names ("gTLDs") beyond the current 21 top-level domain names ("TLDs") such as .com and .net. For the first time, trademark owners may use their marks as gTLDs; for example, .nike. The application process is complex, and trademark owners have no guarantee that they will secure gTLDs for their marks. e-Commerce providers, however, can use trademark-law strategy to gain advantages during the application process.
Protection of Underage Internet Users Has an Impact on e-Commerce
For the most part, courts do not allow either technological or statutory limitations on speech, but they do allow such limitations on electronic commerce, which causes, at the least, more steps to complete a transaction online to meet compliance requirements.
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e-Getting Your Back
Science tells us that most of an iceberg is hidden beneath the surface of the ocean. e-Commerce law tells us the same thing about Web-site development: The "Web front" that shoppers see can be dwarfed by the hidden, or invisible, "back office" ' the contracts, negotiations and software that make e-commerce Web sites possible. Yet it is that back office that can be the difference between a profitable site and one, like a true iceberg, that is merely adrift and fraught with potential hazards.
Case Briefs
Recent rulings of importance to you and your practice.
U.S. District Court Finds Coverage Survives Procedural Changes of Bankruptcy
A bankrupt insured, particularly one with significant mass tort liability and assets primarily restricted to its insurance policies, should pay close attention to coverage issues during the bankruptcy proceedings to minimize subsequent difficulties in securing insurance recovery.
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The Insured's Right to Select Defense Counsel
Last month, the authors discussed "substantial conflicts of interest" in various cases involving an insured's right to select its own defense counsel. Part Two herein continues this discussion
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All Sums Great And Small
How is loss allocated when bodily injury or property damage occurs in several successive policy periods? Can the insured choose the policy that it wishes to cover the loss, limiting itself to one deductible and forcing a single year''s primary (and excess) policy to respond?
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MOST POPULAR STORIES
- "Holy Fair Use, Batman": Copyright, Fair Use and the Dark KnightThe copyright for the original versions of Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse have expired. Now, members of the public can create — and are busy creating — their own works based on these beloved characters. Suppose, though, we want to tell stories using Batman for which the copyright does not expire until 2035. We'll review five hypothetical works inspired by the original Batman comic and analyze them under fair use.Read More ›
- Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright LawsThis article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.Read More ›
- Removing Restrictive Covenants In New YorkIn Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?Read More ›
- The Stranger to the Deed RuleIn 1987, a unanimous Court of Appeals reaffirmed the vitality of the "stranger to the deed" rule, which holds that if a grantor executes a deed to a grantee purporting to create an easement in a third party, the easement is invalid. Daniello v. Wagner, decided by the Second Department on November 29th, makes it clear that not all grantors (or their lawyers) have received the Court of Appeals' message, suggesting that the rule needs re-examination.Read More ›
- Warehouse Liability: Know Before You Stow!As consumers continue to shift purchasing and consumption habits in the aftermath of the pandemic, manufacturers are increasingly reliant on third-party logistics and warehousing to ensure their products timely reach the market.Read More ›