Class

Topics

Primary Materials

Reading Assignment

Slides and Handouts

Class 1

Monday, Aug. 27

I.  Introductions

 

Overview of Copyright Act

 

II.  Basic hurdles of copyright protection

 

Fixation

· Overview of copyright law

· Fritz v. Arthur D. Little, Inc.

· Cartoon Network LLLP v. CSC Holdings, Inc.

· U.S. v. Martignon

· Williams Electronics, Inc. v. Artic International, Inc.

CB 1-8

CB 33-36

CB 39-59

 

(omit

CB 45, Note 2; CB 46, Note 5; CB 59, Note 3)

 Slides

Class 2

Wednesday, Aug. 29

Originality

 

Originality and derivative works

 

 

· Bleistein v. Donaldson Lithographing Co.

· Prunté v. Universal Music Group, Inc.

· Mannion v. Coors Brewing Co.

· L. Batlin & Son v. Snyder

CB 60-96

 

(omit

CB 64, Note 3; CB 65, Note 5; CB 71, Notes 4-7; CB 93, Note 7)

Slides 

Class 3

Wednesday, Sept. 5

III.  Fundamental exceptions to copyright protection

 

Facts and compilations

 

Abstraction and ideas

 

Characters and plots

· Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co.

· Hoehling v. Universal City Studios, Inc.

· CCC Information Services v. Maclean Hunter Market Reports, Inc.

· Nichols v. Universal Pictures Corp.

CB 97-134

 

(omit

CB 112, Note 4;

CB 118, Note 1;

CB 124, Note 3)

Slides 

Class 4

Monday, Sept. 10

Characters and plots (cont’d)

 

Merger

 

Blank forms

· MGM v. American Honda Motor Co.

· CCC Information Services v. Maclean Hunter Market Reports, Inc.

· Morrissey v. Proctor & Gamble

· Baker v. Selden

· Utopia Provider Systems, Inc. v. Pro-Med Clinical Systems, L.L.C.

CB 134-64

 

(omit

CB 142, Notes 4 & 6;

CB 158, Note 5)

Slides 

Class 5

Wednesday, Sept. 12

Computer programs

 

User interfaces

 

Pictorial, graphic and sculptural works

 

Useful articles

 

Architectural works

· Apple Computer, Inc. v. Franklin Computer Corp.

· Lotus Development Corp. v. Borland Int’l, Inc.

· Mazer v. Stein

· Galiano v. Harrah’s Operating Co., Inc.

CB 165-93

 

 

Slides 

Class 6

Wednesday, Sept. 19, 9:10 am

IV.  Proving infringement of the reproduction right

 

Copying as a factual matter

· Arnstein v. Porter

· Jones v. Blige

· Bright Tunes Music Corp. v. Harrissongs Music, Ltd.

· Price v. Fox Entertainment Group, Inc.

CB 195-230

 

(omit

CB 204, Note 3)

 

 

 

Slides 

Class 7

Wednesday, Sept. 19, normal time

Improper appropriation

 

Literal and non-literal copying

· Gottlieb Development LLC v. Paramount Pictures Corp.

· Allen v. Scholastic Inc.

· Boisson v. Banian, Ltd.

CB 230-265

 

 

 

Slides

sample outline

Class 8

Monday, Sept. 24, 9:10 am

Copying computer programs

 

V.  Fair use

 

Time-shifting

· Computer Associates Int’l, Inc. v. Altai, Inc.

· Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc.

CB 265-95

 

(omit

CB 278, Note 4)

Slides 

Class 9

Monday, Sept. 24, normal time

Published vs. unpublished

 

Parodies

· Harper & Row Publishers, Inc. v. Nation Enterprises

· Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc.

· Dr. Seuss Enters. v. Penguin Books

· Leibovitz v. Paramount Pictures Corp.

CB 296-330

 

 

Slides 

Class 10

Monday, Oct. 1

New technologies

 

Reverse engineering

· Princeton University Press v. Michigan Document Services, Inc.

· Perfect 10, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc.

· Sega Enterprises, Ltd. v. Accolade, Inc.

· Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. v. Connectix Corp.

CB 331-65

 

(omit

CB 343, Note 4)

Slides 

Class 11

Wednesday, Oct. 3

VI.  Enforcement and secondary liability

 

Direct infringement

 

Contributory infringement

 

Vicarious liability

 

Inducement

· Cartoon Network LLLP v. CSC Holdings, Inc.

· Fonovisa, Inc. v. Cherry Auction, Inc.

· Sony v. Universal City Studios

· MGM v. Grokster

CB 367-85

CB 388-409

 

(omit

CB 383, Note 3)

Slides

Class 12

Monday, Oct. 8

Safe harbor for OSPs

 

Technical protection measures

· Viacom International Inc. v. YouTube, Inc.

· MDY Industries, LLC v. Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

CB 419-50

(omit CB 423-25, Notes 8-9)

Viacom v. YouTube

 

Slides

Class 13

Wednesday, Oct. 10

VII.  Publication, notice, deposit, registration

 

Publication

 

Notice

· Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences v. Creative House Promotions, Inc.

· Nutt v. National Institute Inc. for the Improvement of Memory

· Letter Edged in Black Press, Inc. v. Public Building Commission of Chicago

· Sidwell Co., Inc. v. Real Estate Data, Inc.

· Shapiro & Son Bedspread Corp. v. Royal Mills Associates

CB 455-56

CB 464-90

CB 495-96

 

Slides 

Class 14

Monday, Oct. 15

Deposit

 

Registration

 

VIII:  Initial ownership of copyright

 

Joint ownership

 

· Andrien v. Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce

· Aalmuhammed v. Lee

· Gaiman v. McFarlane

CB 499-505

CB 516-25

CB 539-58

 

(omit

CB 502, Note 3;

CB 517, Note 2;

CB 518, Note 4;

CB 520, Note 8;

CB 550, Note 3;

CB 551-52, Notes 6-8)

Slides 

Class 15

Wednesday, Oct. 17

Works made for hire

 

Government works

 

· Community for Creative Non-Violence v. Reid

· Avtec Systems, Inc. v. Peiffer

· Morris v. Atchity

CB 559-589

 

(omit

CB 569, Note 6;

CB 576-80, Notes 2-10;

CB 585, Note 3)

Slides 

Class 16

Monday, Oct. 22

Legally binding works

 

IX.  Transactions

 

Orphan works

 

Transfers and assignments

 

Breach and infringement

· Veeck v. Southern Bldg. Code Congress Int’l Inc.

· Effects Associates v. Cohen

· Jacobsen v. Katzer

CB 590-605

CB 609-11

CB 623-39

 

(omit

CB 605, Notes 3 & 4;

CB 630, Note 4;

CB 631-32, Notes 6-7;

CB 639, Note 3)

Slides 

Class 17

Wednesday, Oct. 24

Alternative copyright licensing survey

 

Scope of copyright licenses

· Bartsch v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.

· New York Times Co. v. Tasini

CB 641-45

CB 658- 88

 

(omit

CB 665, Note 5)

 

Slides

Class 18

Monday, Oct. 29

X.  Copyright duration and limitations on transfer

 

Duration

· Milne ex rel. Coyne v. Stephen Slesinger, Inc.

· Eldred v. Ashcroft

CB 689-728

 

(omit

CB 713-14, Notes 1-2;

CB 714, Note 5)

Slides

Class 19

Wednesday, Oct. 31

Limitations on transfer

· Fred Fisher Music Co. v. M. Witmark & Sons

· Miller Music Corp. v. Charles N. Daniels, Inc.

· Stewart v. Abend

CB 729-53

 

Slides 

Class 20

Monday, Nov. 5

XI.  Reproduction, distribution, and adaptation rights

 

Public distribution and the first-sale doctrine

· UMG Recordings, Inc. v. Augusto

· Vernor v. Autodesk

CB 783-90

CB 804-13

Handout (Vernor v. Autodesk)

Slides 

Class 21

Wednesday, Nov. 7

First sale exceptions

 

First sale and importation

 

The adaptation right

 

§ 115 compulsory licenses

· Brilliance Audio, Inc. v. Haights Cross Communications, Inc.

· Quality King Distributors, Inc. v. L’anza Research International, Inc.

· Lee v. A.R.T. Co.

CB 814-46

 

(omit

CB 839, Note)

 

Slides

Class 22

Monday, Nov. 12

Sampling

 

XII.  Public performance and display rights

 

“Public”

 

· Newton v. Diamond

· Bridgeport Music, Inc. v. Dimension Films

· Fermata International Melodies, Inc. v. Champions Golf Club, Inc.

· Cartoon Network LLLP v. CSC Holdings, Inc.

CB 847-65

CB 895-906

 

 

Slides 

Class 23

Wednesday, Nov. 14

The display right

 

Limitations on the public performance and display rights

 

· Reese, The Public Display Right

· Perfect 10, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc.

· Simpleville Music v. Mizell

· Morganactive Songs, Inc. v. Padgett

· Broadcast Music, Inc. v. Claire’s Boutiques, Inc.

CB 907-41

Slides 

Class 24

Monday, Nov. 19

Performing rights organizations

 

Digital performance right for sound recordings

 

XIII.  Remedies

 

Actual damages

· Arista Records, LLC v. Launch Media, Inc.

· Banff Ltd. v. Express, Inc.

CB 941-70

 

(omit

CB 968, Note 5)

Slides 

Class 25

Monday, Nov. 26

Infringer’s profits

 

Statutory damages

 

Attorney’s fees

· Caffey v. Cook

· Bryant v. Media Right Productions, Inc.

· Matthew Bender & Co., Inc. v. West Pub. Co.

CB 970-1000

 

(omit

CB 983, Note 6;

CB 993, Note 6)

Slides 

Class 26

Wednesday, Nov. 28

Injunctions

 

Criminal offenses

 

XIV.  Preemption

· Salinger v. Colting

· Orth-O-Vision, Inc. v. Home Box Office

· Toney v. L’Oreal USA, Inc.

· ProCD v. Zeidenberg

CB 1000-15

CB 1062-80

 

(omit

CB 1067, Note 4;

CB 1079, Note 3)

Slides