If you have correspondence from the U.S. Copyright Office sitting in a pile of paperwork on your desk, we urge you to read this post.
Many communications from the Copyright Office set forth specific timelines for replying. If you miss these deadlines, you could be putting your intellectual property rights at risk.
Below are some of the consequences of not responding in time:
- Your case file will be closed without further notification.
- Any published deposit you submitted may be made available to the Library of Congress for use or disposition under the provisions of the copyright law, 17 U.S.C. sections 407 and 704.
- Any unpublished deposit or document you submitted will be returned.
- Your filing fee will not be returned.
Copyright applicants do not want to risk having their file closed. If you still wish to pursue the copyright, you will be required to reapply for registration or recordation. This will entail submitting a new application, deposit, and fee or an original document and fee.
More importantly, the effective date of registration or recordation will be based on the new, later submission. This could have a negative effect on any subsequent copyright infringement application.
How Can We Help?
To ensure that the copyright application process runs smoothly and that you meet all applicable deadlines, it is important to consult with an experienced copyright attorney. We are intimately familiar with the requirements and procedures of the U.S. Copyright Office and will make sure your rights are protected during every step of the process. Please contact us today by phone or email to learn more.
At Sheldon Mak & Anderson, we recognize that innovation is your competitive edge - and it needs protection. As a full-service intellectual property firm with more than two decades of experience, we provide local, regional, national, and international legal services in the following areas: patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, IP litigation, international patent and trademark prosecution, licensing, alternative dispute resolution, and green technology.
Contact our knowledgeable intellectual property attorneys today TOLL FREE at 1-855-UR IDEAS (1-855-874-3327) or email us at tri@usip.com to find out how we can provide powerful protection for your unique ideas.
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