Brian Russ Law, Inc. is committed to helping 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 recognizes the struggles of business owners and individuals when they think about and try to understand copyright law. Brian works with folks across the Golden State to address common issues like copyright registration, fair use analysis, licensing decisions, and more. If you need legal advice in Indio for copyright issues, then you’ve come to the right place.

What Is Copyright Infringement?

An unauthorized use of a copyrighted work is considered infringement. This can include reproducing, distributing, adapting, or publicly displaying the work without permission. As a result of copyright law, authors and creators are able to control how their work is used and distributed. 
If you copy and distribute music, videos, or other media without permission, use someone else's work as your own, or reproduce and sell copies of a copyrighted work without permission, you may have committed copyright infringement. In most cases, copyright infringement is a civil offense, and the infringer can be sued for monetary damages. A copyright infringement is still an infringement regardless of the infringer's state of mind. For basic questions of whether a work was infringed, the infringer's state of mind does not matter. 
Using others' work must be done with permission and with respect for their copyright. It is possible to use copyrighted material for teaching, scholarship, research, criticism, news reporting, or fair use without permission in certain situations. 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?

Taking steps to protect your interests is important if you are sued for copyright infringement. Here are the first three steps you should take: 
First, seek legal advice. A copyright infringement lawsuit should be addressed as soon as possible by seeking legal advice. 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, 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. Your response will be guided by identifying any defenses you may have available. 
Third, stop your infringing activity if you are engaged in infringement. You can expose yourself to additional liability by continuing the infringement. If you continue to infringe after receiving notice of infringing activity, you may appear to be acting in bad faith. 

Brian Russ Law, Inc. is Here to Help Indio Businesses and Individuals with Copyright Law Matters

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