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Intellectual Property Law

Selected Works

2015

Originality

Articles 1 - 5 of 5

Full-Text Articles in Law

The Concept Of Property In The Digital Era, Robert P. Merges May 2015

The Concept Of Property In The Digital Era, Robert P. Merges

Robert P Merges

No abstract provided.


Introduction - Copyright, Communication & Culture: Towards A Relational Theory Of Copyright Law, Carys J. Craig Feb 2015

Introduction - Copyright, Communication & Culture: Towards A Relational Theory Of Copyright Law, Carys J. Craig

Carys Craig

In this provocative book, Carys Craig challenges the assumptions of possessive individualism embedded in modern day copyright law, arguing that the dominant conception of copyright as private property fails to adequately reflect the realities of cultural creativity. Employing both theoretical argument and doctrinal analysis, including the novel use of feminist theory, the author explores how the assumptions of modern copyright result in law that frequently restricts the kinds of expressive activities it ought to encourage. In contrast, Carys Craig proposes a relational theory of copyright based on a dialogic account of authorship, and guided by the public interest in a …


The Evolution Of Originality In Canadian Copyright Law: Authorship, Reward And The Public Interest, Carys J. Craig Feb 2015

The Evolution Of Originality In Canadian Copyright Law: Authorship, Reward And The Public Interest, Carys J. Craig

Carys Craig

Originality is a foundational concept in copyright law: it defines the works to which copyright attaches and delineates the scope of protection they receive. The Supreme Court of Canada, in its recent ruling in CCH Canadian Ltd. v. Law Society of Upper Canada, appears to have settled the conflict between creativity and sweat-of-the-brow standards for originality, espousing a compromise position requiring "skill and judgment." In this paper, the author aims to locate the evolution of the originality doctrine within the context of a foundational shift in Canadian copyright theory. When "benefiting authors" was copyright's only recognized purpose, originality was determined …


Resisting "Sweat" And Refusing Feist: Rethinking Originality After Cch, Carys J. Craig Feb 2015

Resisting "Sweat" And Refusing Feist: Rethinking Originality After Cch, Carys J. Craig

Carys Craig

In CCH Canadian Ltd. v. Law Society of Upper Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada ostensibly settled the debate between the "sweat school" and the "creativity school" regarding the meaning of copyright's originality requirement. While rejecting a labour-based formulation of the originality standard, the Supreme Court also refused to adopt the "minimal degree of creativity" test established by the U.S. Supreme Court in the famous Feist case. The appropriate threshold for originality, according to the Supreme Court of Canada, "falls between these two extremes" and requires "an exercise of skill and judgment." This paper explores the significance of the "skill …


Feminist Aesthetics And Copyright Law: Genius, Value, And Gendered Visions Of The Creative Self, Carys J. Craig Feb 2015

Feminist Aesthetics And Copyright Law: Genius, Value, And Gendered Visions Of The Creative Self, Carys J. Craig

Carys Craig

Copyright law is fundamentally concerned with the value of cultural works — both the recognition and the creation of this value. Yet it is seldom acknowledged that copyright law makes or requires any value judgment in the sense of an aesthetic evaluation of copyright’s subject matter. Indeed, it is often emphasized that copyright protects original works of authorship regardless of their quality or merit. That copyright protection demands the satisfaction of only the most minimal of qualitative standards does not, however, dispose of the larger claim that forms the basis of this chapter: our copyright system is dominated by a …