Copyright is a protection offered by the United States to creators of original works of authorship. The Copyright Law of 1976 covers intellectual property, published or unpublished, including literary, and artistic works. The owner of the copyright has the exclusive right to reproduce, display, and distribute his original creation unless he legally transfers his copyright to another person to perform these functions. In some cases copyright is limited by the doctrine of fair use. Copyright protection starts as soon as the work is realized in a fixed form. If the work was commissioned for an employer, the employer owns the copyright to the created work. Registration of copyright, though not necessary, provides a public record of the ownership and a valuable evidence in infringement suits. |
