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

What Is Copyright Infringement?

Copyright infringement is the unauthorized use of a copyrighted work without the permission of the copyright owner. Unauthorized reproductions, distributions, adaptations, or public displays of the work are all examples of copyright infringements. 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. 
Copyright infringement can take many forms, including copying and distributing music, videos, or other media without permission, using someone else's work as your own, or reproducing and selling copies of a copyrighted work without permission. An infringer may be held liable for monetary damages if they commit copyright infringement. 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. 
You should seek permission before using someone else's work and respect their copyright. It is possible to use copyrighted material for teaching, scholarship, research, criticism, news reporting, or fair use without permission in certain situations. 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. The first three steps are as follows: 
First, you need to retain an attorney. You should seek legal advice as soon as possible if you have been sued for copyright infringement. It is important to speak with a lawyer to understand your rights and options, and to determine what course of action is best for you. 
Second, make sure you review the legal complaint that has been served on you. Carefully review the complaint that has been filed against you to understand the specific allegations of copyright infringement. This will help you identify any defenses that may be available to you and plan your response. 
Third, stop your infringing activity if you are engaged in infringement. You can expose yourself to additional liability by continuing the infringement. As a result, if you continue to infringe after receiving notice that you are infringing, you will appear to be a bad-faith intentional actor. 

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

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