Brian Russ Law, Inc. is committed to guiding 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 recognizes 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 need legal advice in Chatsworth 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. The act of reproducing, distributing, adapting, or publicly displaying a work without permission constitutes copyright infringement. It protects the rights of creators and authors, and ensures that their work can be used and distributed in the way that they choose. 
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. Copyright infringement is usually a civil offense, and the owner can seek damages for the infringement. In general, the infringer's state of mind is not relevant for basic questions about whether the work was infringement. 
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. Fair use exceptions are narrow and should not be relied upon unless you are certain that your use is covered. 

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

In the event that you are sued for copyright infringement, you should take the matter seriously and take the steps necessary to protect your rights. Follow these three steps to get started: 
First, get legal advice. You should seek legal advice as soon as possible if you have been sued for copyright infringement. The advice of a lawyer can help you understand your rights and options. 
Second, you need to review and understand the legal complaint made against you. Review the complaint filed against you carefully to understand the specific allegations of copyright infringement. By identifying your defenses, you will be able to plan your response. 
Third, infringing activity must be stopped. Continuing to infringe can expose you to additional liability. If you continue to infringe despite receiving notice, you may look like a bad-faith intentional actor. 

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

The conclusion is straightforward – contact Brian Russ Law, Inc. today. We’re fielding inquiries 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.