Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Law
Aesthetic Nondiscrimination & Fair Use, Brian L. Frye
Aesthetic Nondiscrimination & Fair Use, Brian L. Frye
Law Faculty Scholarly Articles
While courts do not consider the aesthetic value of an element of a work in determining whether it is protected by copyright, they do consider the aesthetic value of the use of a copyrighted element of a work in determining whether that use is a fair use. This asymmetry improperly and inefficiently discriminates in favor of copyright protection and against fair use. Moreover, the fair use “transformativeness” inquiry discriminates against marginalized authors, because courts are less likely to appreciate the aesthetic value of their uses of copyrighted works.
Courts should apply the aesthetic nondiscrimination principle to both copyright and fair …
An Alternate Functionality Reality, Harold R. Weinberg
An Alternate Functionality Reality, Harold R. Weinberg
Law Faculty Scholarly Articles
Trade dress law does not protect the appearance of a product design feature (e.g., a product's configuration) against unauthorized copying if the feature is functional, but may protect the appearance if the feature is nonfunctional. The functionality doctrine is intended to preserve competition in the market for a product incorporating a design feature that allegedly is protected by trade dress law, and to avoid conflicts between trade dress law and patent law. The Supreme Court last addressed the functionality doctrine in TrafFix Devices, Inc. v. Marketing Displays, Inc. The Court intended TrafFix to “choke off” anticompetitive trade dress “strike suits.” …