Law Commons^™

A Model Copyright Exemption To Serve The Visually Impaired, Patrick Hely

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Copyright law presents visually impaired persons with serious barriers to access of the written word. A recent international effort seeks to remove these barriers to access, in limited instances, by allowing the creation of accessible formats of copyrighted works. While bodies like the World Blind Union--through several South American states--have presented draft treaties to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), to date the interested parties have not found a mutually agreeable solution. This Note surveys international intellectual property law as it relates to the problem, draws a comparison to the humanitarian concerns entangled with international patent law, and tracks the …

A Comparative Law Analysis Of The Retained Rights Of Artists, W W. Kowalski

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article presents an analytical and theoretical discussion of how an artist's artwork should be treated once it enters the global marketplace. Considering only the visual arts, the answer is short and simple: this Author believes that all, or at least the better-known legal systems, uphold the rights granted to the artist when the work was created. Consequently, the artist retains some rights not only as the artist's intellectual property, but also in its tangible manifestation, for example, sculpture or painting--traditionally called corpus mechanicum--even though he does not own this particular sculpture or painting anymore. This, however, is only a …

Anti-Circumvention: Has Technology's Child Turned Against Its Mother?, Terri B. Cohen

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Because its function is to protect and support innovation, copyright has been deemed a child of technology. Yet, as copyright laws increase the scope of protection for copyrighted material, one may wonder when such protection will begin to stymie, rather than encourage, emerging technology. The global trend toward internationalizing copyright protection has resulted in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty, which was intended, in part, to bring international copyright protection into the digital age. The treaty, however, extends traditional copyright protections by including a requirement that member nations implement anti-circumvention provisions into their laws.

Great debate has emerged …

Category Iii Films And Vcds: The Failure Of Deterrence In The Copyright Ordinance Of Hong Kong, Allen Woods

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

In 1997, the government of Hong Kong enacted the Copyright Ordinance. The goal of the Ordinance was to establish a strong deterrent against the illegal manufacture and sale of copyright infringing materials, especially pirated video and digital compact discs. Courts have interpreted the Ordinance to allow the Customs and Excise Department sweeping powers of search and seizure. As a result, the government has seized many thousands of copyright infringing video compact discs and courts have enforced lengthy custodial sentences against guilty parties.

Despite these efforts, though, film piracy continues to grow throughout Hong Kong and transnational film interests have begun …

Transmissions Of Music On The Internet, Daniel J. Gervais

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article examines the status of copyright laws in several countries as they pertain to transmissions of music on the Internet. Because the exact legal ramifications of music transmissions over the Internet are currently unclear, the Author compares copyright laws of six major markets and examines the potential application of the copyright laws and other rights that may apply. The Article also discusses rules concerning which transborder transmissions are likely to be covered by a country's national laws, as well as specific rules applying to the liability of intermediaries. Next, the Article summarizes the comparative findings and discusses the relevant …

The Ec Directive On The Legal Protection Of Computer Programs, Linda G. Morrison

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The evolution of computer technology has launched questions regarding the proper scope of protection for computer software. The European Community (EC) recently adopted a Council Directive on the Legal Protection of Computer Programs (the Directive), which protects computer software under the copyright paradigm. The path to final adoption of the Directive, however, was marked by debates between diametrically opposed lobbying groups regarding the propriety of a reverse engineering exception to the exclusive right of reproduction. This Note discusses the lobbying efforts that led to a compromise and analyzes the Directive through a comparison to United States law. Next, the Note …

Retroactivity And Reliance Rights Under Article 18 Of The Berne Copyright Convention, Katherine S. Deters

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Note addresses the principle of retroactive copyright protection as it applies to new adherents to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (the Convention). The Note first examines the primary purposes of retroactivity as evidenced by the Convention's history and subsequent revisions. Next, the Note analyzes the language of the retroactivity principle as it appears in the most recent version of the Convention. The Note then discusses problems that may result from the United States recent adherence to the Convention. The author concludes that the current domestic copyright law of the United States violates international …

Intellectual Property Rights And The Gatt: United States Goals In The Uruguay Round, Mark L. Damschroder

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The pursuit of protection of IP rights is a valuable goal both for the United States and the rest of the world community. Such rights promote creativity and the advancement of knowledge, as well as fuel the domestic economy and improve the position of the United States vis-a-vis the other trading nations of the world. With the growing interdependence of the global economy, there is no time like the present to lay the foundation for a system of dispute settlement of such trade matters. Economic interdependence will continue to increase, and the problems of international trade in, and piracy of, …

Foreign Income In The Music Industry, Leo Strauss, Jr.

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The record and music industries have grown tremendously and have become much more sophisticated in recent years. At one time a music publisher merely listened to a song and if he liked it he acquired the copyright. A recording artist or a recording A & R man would record those songs that he happened to like. Those who were lucky had their share of hits. This normally does not work any more, although it does in certain localized contexts. The record industry is big business and spans national borders as well as continents, affecting and bringing into contact with each …