HutchersonLaw
Intellectual property is extremely valuable to a business. It includes products, works, symbols, and designs that are owned by a company. Companies seeking to protect their intellectual property should first file an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or the United States Copyright Office. How do you know whether you need…
Read MoreWhat is Revenge Porn? Revenge porn is a form of online harassment in which your nude photos and videos are distributed without your consent. It is an epidemic. And, unfortunately for victims of revenge porn, the photo or video is usually accompanied with the victim’s identifying information. What should you know? How do you handle…
Read MoreWhile deriving inspiration from a work does not in and of itself establish copyright infringement, overwhelming similarities between two works can constitute infringement. This question—inspiration or infringement— seems to be practically synonymous with best picture Oscar winner The Shape of Water. In February 2018, the estate of Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Paul Zindel, sued Fox…
Read MoreUnderstanding Online Copyright Infringement The speed and culture of the Internet has led to an increase in software, websites, images, and writing being shared and utilized without the permission of the actual owner of the work. These works are usually protected by a license or other agreement, and accordingly, sharing and using these works without…
Read MoreWhat Are the Penalties for Copyright Infringement? Copyright infringement occurs when someone uses your work without obtaining your permission. Works covered by copyright law include text, photography, videos, books, music, movies and plays, graphics or art, architecture, and sound. In today’s technological age, it is so easy to copy someone else’s copyrighted work—but that does…
Read MoreJohn Oliver, the host of HBO’s show Last Week Tonight, just avoided a major lump of coal. In June 2017, Oliver aired a segment of the show focused on remarking on the decline of the coal industry. In the episode Oliver criticized Murray Energy and Robert Murray—one of America’s largest privately-owned coal mining companies and…
Read More“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Well, Shakespeare, for a business, often times millions of dollars are at stake in its name. As a result, there has been a sharp increase in reverse domain name hijacking and cybersquatting. Reverse domain name hijacking is…
Read MoreFreedom of speech allows for everyone to speak their mind, but speaking your mind can get dangerous in an online setting. Many people think that their blog posts, Facebook comments, tweets, or private messages fall under freedom of speech. But in the increasingly murky waters of online communication, this isn’t always the case. At Hutcherson…
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