Law Commons^™

Redefining Trademark Alteration Within The Context Of Aesthetic-Based Zoning Laws: A Blockbuster Dilemma, Jeffrey W. Strouse

Vanderbilt Law Review

In 1978, a Nevada Federal District Court permitted the Nevada Real Estate Advisory Commission to regulate the registered service mark' of Century 21, a national franchisor of real estate brokerage firms.' Prior to this state regulation, Century 21's mark occupied approximately 80 percent of the surface area of any given display, while the name of the local franchisee covered the remaining 20 percent. To prevent consumer confusion," the Commission required that the 80:20 ratio be changed to a 50:50 ratio, effectively making the franchisee's logo as large as its counterpart. Century 21 objected to this mandate, arguing in part that …

Copyright And Antitrust: The Effects Of The Digital Performance Rights In Sound Recordings Act Of 1995 In Foreign Markets, Connie C. Davis

Federal Communications Law Journal

The licensing of copyrighted nondramatic works by performance rights societies has long been recognized as a potential source of antitrust violations. In 1995, the Congress passed the Digital Performance Rights in Sound Recordings Act in an effort to deal with the licensing problems associated with nondramatic musical works. The DPRSRA created a right in sound recordings to perform the copyrighted work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission as well as establishing compulsory licensing scheme. However, the DPRSRA failed to address the problem of licensing of nondramatic works in foreign markets. This Note identifies the anticompetitive licensing scheme practiced …

The Death Of Cyberspace, Lawrence Lessig

Washington and Lee Law Review

No abstract provided.

Copyright Misuse And Modified Copyleft: New Solutions To The Challenges Of Internet Standardization, Chip Patterson

Michigan Law Review

The Internet is a truly global community within which myriad economic, social and technological forces interplay to cause its standardization. Much of the competition in the industry has revolved around which product will become the standard for a given market sector. Some markets have seen victors; for example, TCP/IP is the Internet communication protocol, MP3 appears to be dominating music compression, and Microsoft Corporation's Windows ("Windows") is clearly the standard operating system. Similarly, the Internet must adopt a standard for web browsing and searching, for email, and for web programming. In many cases, the competition for this standard will be …

Statement Of Harvey K. Morrell, University Of Baltimore Law Library, In Opposition To The Maryland Uniform Computer Information Transfer Act, Harvey K. Morrell

All Faculty Scholarship

Testimony in opposition to the Maryland Uniform Computer Information Transfer Act, House Bill 19, Senate Bill 142, 2000.

Suing The Devil: A Guide For Practitioners, Charles M. Yablon

Articles

The essay humorously argues that suing the Devil is a viable legal strategy, challenging the perception of his invincibility. It provides a guide on navigating the procedural and substantive legal challenges involved, suggesting that the Devil's legal vulnerabilities make him a feasible target for litigation.

Publish Or Perish, Gideon Parchomovsky

Michigan Law Review

The race model has been the darling of patent economists and game theorists. This model assumes that the winner, namely the first to invent, takes the patent grant with the market dominance that comes with it, whereas the second comer, in the best tradition of sports contests, obligingly accepts her loss and quietly vanishes from the scene. While the sports analogy has provided a useful framework for understanding the economics of invention, it has obfuscated an important aspect of the inventive process: the possibility of strategic publication of research findings in order to prevent the issuance of a patent to …

Changing Relationships Among European Constitutional Courts, Stephen Breyer

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

To Thine Own Claim Be True: The Federal Circuit Disaster In Exxon Chemical Patents, Inc. V. Lubrizol Corp., Jason M. Okun

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Anti-Paparazzi Laws: Comparison Of Proposed Federal Legislation And The California Law, Ashley C. Null

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

Recent attempts by the California legislature to prevent abuses by the paparazzi have spotlighted the conflict between freedom of the press, which is considered essential to the survival of a democratic society, and the personal right of privacy, violation of which has proven harmful. This article compares California's Anti-Paparazzi law with proposed federal legislation. The author suggests an appropriate course of action for promoting the most effective form of federal legislation on the issue.

Ipos On The Internet: The Need For The Next Step, Daniel M. Weisenfeld

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

This note examines the SEC's reaction to initial public offerings (IPOs) on the Internet during the late 1990's, explores benefits and concerns associated with IPOs in the Internet generally, and suggests ways in which the SEC should respond to such Internet IPOs. The author suggests that it is advisable for the SEC, given the likely continued increase in the use of the Internet for investment purposes, to step in and preempt state regulation of Internet IPOs, thereby giving smaller companies an increased opportunity to raise capital.

The Law That It Deems Applicable: Icann, Dispute Resolution, And The Problem Of Cybersquatting, Stacey H. King

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

In an attempt to resolve disputes between domain name registrants and trademark holders in various countries, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has implemented a policy under which complaints can be lodged and an objective inquiry into the facts for parties can be assessed. This article attempts to examine cases filed to date to determine whether the ICANN Policy and Rules are being effectively used for their intended purpose. The author explores the features of a domain name, the history of the Internet and how the decision to privatize the administration of domain names was made. Also …

Copyright Misused: The Impact Of The Dmca Anti-Circumvention Measures On Fair & (And) Innovative Markets, Jason Sheets

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

Digital technology and innovation acutely impact copyright law. This article describes the delicate balance between incentives for authors and access to creative works under copyright policy and demonstrates how modem trends and congressional action pose a threat to that balance. The author suggests that the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) are unconstitutional and that they threaten to undermine the fundamental economic justifications of copyright law. The author concludes that the anticircumvention measures are also poor public policy because the threat that they pose to competition and innovation are contrary to the expanding technological marketplace.

Nba V. Motorola: A Legislative Proposal Favoring The Nature Of Property, The Survival Of Sports Leagues, And The Public Interest, Neal H. Kaplan

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

In National Basketball Association v. Motorola, Inc., the Second Circuit found that the results of a professional sporting event may be appropriated by a commercial pager company and a commercial online service without infringing upon any right of the leagues or the teams. Additionally, the court said that a state could not legislate to protect facts, which remain exempt from federal copyright protection, unless those facts can be considered to be "hot news." This paper suggests that the Second Circuit's holding in Motorola is out of sync with the economic world within which the sports industry operates and that it …

Stranger In A Strange Land: Biotechnology And The Federal Circuit, Lawrence M. Sung

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Collegiality And Collaboration In The Age Of Exclusivity, Lawrence M. Sung

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Ucita Enacted In Virginia, Sarah K. Wiant

Scholarly Articles

No abstract provided.

Classroom Lecture For Copyright Law, Wendy J. Gordon

Scholarship Chronologically

The differences between direct, vicarious and contributory liability, Section 512 in related matters. Alright, now let's move on to the next question, which is criminal liability. You read some material on that. And the basic lessons that I want you to take from the material are the following. First, notice that federal copyright law does not impose criminal liability easily as ordinary laws of tangible property do. And I think that that's a good thing. Remember that guy in Les Miserables who's pursued for stealing a loaf of bread. Stealing in the sense of copying one song would not make …

Pornography And The International Internet: Internet Content Regulation In Australia And The United States, Meghan A. Wharton

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

In response to a vast concern about the widespread availability of pornographic materials on the Internet, the United States legislature passed the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Just prior to this legislation, the Australian government began investigating possible regulatory schemes for online content, culminating in the Broadcasting Services Amendment of 1999, which attempted to address the presence of pornographic material on the Internet. This article discusses, compares and analyzes the American and Australian systems of content regulation on the Internet and the effect that such legislation has had on content hosts.

Japanese Insider Trading Law At The Advent Of The Digital Age: New Challenges Raised By Internet And Communication Technology, Masanori Hayashi

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

Although Japanese courts, specifically the Japanese Supreme Court in February of 1999, have taken recent steps to curtail insider trading in Japan, the spread of the Internet and new forms of communication technologies may make enforcement of insider trading regulations much more complex. Such activities have become increasingly difficult to detect, and for instance, there are many cases in the United States illustrating the possibility of abuse of the new technologies to promote securities crimes on the Internet. This Note explores the impact of new technologies on the insider trading problem in Japan. It presents the historical problems of insider …

Claim Construction Must Be Reexamined - As A Matter Of Fact, Pitney Bowes Undermines Markman, Chelsea Mcginity Bonini

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

The question of whether claims construction in patent infringement cases should be decided by the judge or jury has been a matter of contention. This note examines the backdrop against which the United States Supreme Court deemed claim construction to be a matter of law solely for district court judges in Herbert Markman and Positek, Inc. v. Westview Instruments, Inc. and Altheon Enterprises, Inc. The author asserts that Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., a recent Federal Circuit case, undermines the holding in Markman. The author argues that in light of the recent Pitney case, the United States Supreme Court …

The Intellectual And Technical Property Components Of Pro-Vitamin A Rice (Goldenricetm): A Preliminary Freedom-To-Operate Review, R. David Kryder, Stanley P. Kowalski, Anatole F. Krattiger

Law Faculty Scholarship

Rice is a staple food for millions of people, predominantly in Asia, but lacks essential nutritional components such as Vitamin A. This is very important for over 180 million children and women of child bearing age who suffer from Vitamin A deficiency in Asia alone. For this reason, an improvement was made under an effort led by Profs. Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer by inserting several genes into rice to produce an improved product called GoldenRice. Because GoldenRice has the potential to be easily integrated into the farming systems of the world's poorer regions, the advent of GoldenRice promises to …

New Technology Clauses Aren't Broad Enough: Why A New Standard Of Interpretation Must Be Adopted For Internet Distribution, Lisa A. Flate

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

The distribution of films, specifically independent films, over the Internet often violates the distribution rights of multiterritorially distributed films created before Internet distribution was foreseeable. This article explores the history and development of Internet-distributed entertainment, what Internet distribution means to the independent film industry, how new technology clauses have been interpreted and why Internet distribution requires a fresh construction of these clauses, as well as the role technology plays in preventing problems with Internet distribution. The author poses an equitable solution to make Internet distribution possible and lucrative for all parties under United States and international copyright laws.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same: Implications Of Pfaff V. Wells Electronics, Inc. And The Quest For Predictability In The On-Sale Bar, Timothy R. Holbrook

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

Section 102(b) of Title 35 precludes an inventor from receiving a patent if the invention was on sale in the United States more than one year prior to filing a patent application. The statutory structure of the on-sale bar has left the term "invention" ill-defined, leading to considerable uncertainty in the courts. Hoping to add predictability to this unsettled area of law, the Supreme Court in Pfaff v. Wells Electronics, Inc. articulated a new standard that requires an invention be "ready for patenting" in order for the bar to apply.

This new test, as applied by the lower courts, has …

The Erosion Of American Copyright Protection: The Fairness In Music Licensing Act, 18 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 791 (2000), Ralph Carter

UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law

The author of this article begins by giving the reader a taste of the history of American copyright protection. A synopsis of the statutes, case history, and industry development are fully explained. Furthermore, the author criticizes the enactment of the Fairness in Music Licensing Act. The author further refutes arguments made by proponents of the Act and examines the underlying motives of restaurant lobbyists. This comment also shows the real victims of the Act's exemptions---the songwriters. The comment concludes by advocating the return of the "home use exemption" in the Copyright Act of 1976.

Email To Kate On Article Changes, Wendy J. Gordon

Scholarship Chronologically

Here are further corrections to my article (Chapter 10).

Service Provider Liability For Acts Committed By Users: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You, 18 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 591 (2000), Mitchell P. Goldstein

UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law

This article probes into the liabilities that service providers may incur on the internet. Liabilities such as copyright infringement , pornography, and defamation are common sources of liability on the Internet. The author begins by discussing the different types of copyright infringement. These include direct infringement, contributory infringement, and vicarious liability. In response to these different types of infringements, Congress and the President signed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, DMCA. The author next investigates the issue of pornography on the Internet by giving a case history of the development of obscene pornography. This section of the article is concluded with …

Halve The Baby: An Obvious Solution To The Troubling Use Of Trademarks As Metatags, 18 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 643 (2000), Dan Mccuaig

UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law

In this article, the author proposes a solution to decide when metatags of other companies' trademarked terms should be allowed. First the author begins by describing the nature and function of metatags. A brief discussion of the relevant aspects of trademark law as they apply to trademark-metatags are fully investigated. The author then provides two significant cases in this field to support his contention. Following this discussion, the author proposes a solution to the use of trademark-metatags. Finally, the author ends this article with a discussion of anticipated market reactions to the "trademarks" metatag.

Riaa V. Napster: A Window Onto The Future Of Copyright Law In The Internet Age, 18 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 755 (2000), Ariel Berschadsky

UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law

This article uses the Napster controversy as a stepping stone to discussing copyright law in the Internet age. Section II of the article discusses music piracy over the internet and MP3 files. Section III of the article discusses the birth of Napster and its functions. Section IV details the allegations against Napster by the RIAA. Section V. discusses Copyright Law in the digital age. Various forms of copyright infringement such as direct liability, contributory liability, vicarious liability are fully assessed. Furthermore, the author discusses the response of legislative efforts to emerging copyright challenges on the internet. Section VI examines Napter's …

Diana's Law, Celebrity And The Paparazzi: The Continuing Search For A Solution, 18 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 945 (2000), Richard J. Curry Jr.

UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law

Celebrities and the media possess a unique relationship. Many celebrities skillfully use the media to market and advertise their movies, television shows, books, and records. They use the media to propel their careers and create a marketable celebrity image. Society is celebrity crazed and magazines, tabloids and other media forms such as Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood have combined to feed that craze. Our society's hunger for celebrities has spawned the existence of photographers known as the paparazzi. Armed with zoom lenses, high-powered microphones, and the promise of huge cash rewards for an exclusive celebrity expose, the paparazzi have become …