Brian Russ Law, Inc. is committed to supporting businesses and individuals obtain and monetize copyrightable works, and provide defense services for copyright infringement lawsuits. As an author, small business owner, and serial entrepreneur, attorney Brian feels the difficulties of business owners and individuals when they think about and try to understand copyright law. Brian works with companies throughout the Golden State to address common issues like copyright registration, fair use analysis, licensing decisions, and more. If you are considering legal advice in California City for copyright issues, then you’ve come to the right place.

What Is Copyright Infringement?

Copyright infringement occurs when an owner's work is used without their consent. This can include reproducing, distributing, adapting, or publicly displaying the work without permission. The purpose of copyright law is to protect the rights of writers, creators, and publishers in order to ensure that how their work is used and disseminated is under their control. 
The violation of a copyright can take many forms, including copying and distributing music, videos, and other media without permission, misappropriating someone else's work, and reproducing and selling a copy of a copyrighted work. Most copyright infringements are civil offenses, and the copyright owner may pursue monetary damages. Innocent copyright infringement is still infringement. The infringer's state of mind generally does not come into play for basic questions of whether the work was infringed. 
The copyright of others should be respected and permission sought before using their work. Fair use for purposes of criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research is an exception to copyright law. However, fair use exceptions are narrow and should not be relied upon unless you are certain that your use falls within their scope. 

What Are Your First Three Steps When Sued for Copyright Infringement?

It is important to take steps to protect your interests if you are sued for copyright infringement. Here are the first three steps you should take: 
First, seek legal advice. In the event that you have been sued for copyright infringement, you should obtain legal counsel as soon as possible. You can get legal advice from an attorney to understand your rights and options. 
Second, review the legal complaint that was served on you. Carefully review the complaint that has been filed against you to understand the specific allegations of copyright infringement. By identifying your defenses, you will be able to plan your response. 
Third, stop infringing activities if you are engaged in them. If you continue to infringe, you may be exposed to additional liability. And, to some extent, receiving notice of infringing activity puts you in a position of looking like a bad-faith intentional actor if you continue to infringe after receiving notice. 

Brian Russ Law, Inc. is Ready to Help California City Businesses and Individuals with Copyright Law Matters

The conclusion is straightforward – contact Brian Russ Law, Inc. today. We’re fielding calls from potential new copyright clients every day. Having an attorney on your team can help you avoid costly mistakes and give you invaluable peace of mind.