Brian Russ Law, Inc. is committed to helping corporations 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 feels the difficulties of business owners and individuals when they think about and try to understand copyright law. Brian works with corporations across the Golden State to address common issues like copyright registration, fair use analysis, licensing decisions, and more. If you need legal guidance in Empire 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. 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. The infringer's state of mind is generally not relevant to whether the work was copied. Innocent copyright infringement is still infringement. 
It is important to respect the copyright of others and to seek permission before using their work. Fair use for purposes of criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research is an exception to copyright law. There are, however, a few exceptions to fair use, and you should not rely on them unless you know for sure that your use is permitted. 

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

The matter of copyright infringement should be taken seriously and protected if you are sued. Take these three steps as a starting point: 
First, get legal advice. In the event that you have been sued for copyright infringement, you should obtain legal counsel as soon as possible. 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, read the legal complaint you received. Take the time to review the complaint that has been filed against you in order to understand the specific allegations of copyright infringement. By identifying your defenses, you will be able to plan your response. 
Third, stop your infringing activity if you are engaged in infringement. Continuing to infringe can expose you to additional liability. 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 Available to Help Empire Businesses and Individuals with Copyright Law Matters

The conclusion is simple – call 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.