Copyright Infringement Litigation

In the state of New York Copyright Infringement Litigation may be the result of disputes concerning the inappropriate use of copyrighted material. There are various types of legal protection that can be extended to the authors or creators of original works or products, which include trademark protection, patents and copyright protection. Copyright is extended to intellectual property, and usually relates to creative works, such as writing, music, films etc. Depending on the popularity and reach of the item in question, copyright infringement suits can involve a considerable amount of money.

In general copyright infringement litigation is initiated by an individual or group who feel that their intellectual property has been illegally distributed, sold or copied by an unauthorised group or individual, or in an unauthorised manner. If you feel that your copyright has been violated by another, your initial step should be to consult an experienced copyright infringement attorney. This is a complex issue, and it can be difficult to prove conclusively the copyright infringement has occurred.

Some cases are quite clear cut, such as in situations where films or music has been illegally distributed, especially over the internet. However some copyright infringement litigation in New York and elsewhere involves alleged copying of copyrighted materials, for use in another work. Occasionally high profile cases arise where it is alleged the books or music are copied almost directly, but marketed as original works. In cases such as these it falls to the various copyright infringement litigators involved to either prove or disprove this infringement. While fair use allows individuals or groups to take ideas and concepts from a copyrighted work for use in their own creation, it is essential that the new work be nothing like the original. In a dispute such as this the courts will decide whether infringement has occurred, and will award appropriate damages.