Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Law
Publication, Musical Compositions, And The Copyright Act Of 1909: Still Crazy After All These Years, Michael B. Landau
Publication, Musical Compositions, And The Copyright Act Of 1909: Still Crazy After All These Years, Michael B. Landau
Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law
The copyright clause of the United States Constitution empowers Congress "to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by Securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." The purpose of copyright law is to strike a balance between the public's desire to have free access to information and authors' rights to protection of their private works. Common law copyright somewhat reflects this balance by providing the author with perpetual protection until first publication. Federal copyright law, however, with its more limited duration for protection, better balances these competing interests. Once …