Much confusion concerns the particulars of copyright law. Can all written documents be copyrighted? Must one formally copyright a document?

1. How Copyright Law Works
by Raymond Bragar

2. How Copyright Law Works
Much confusion concerns the particulars of
copyright law. Can all written documents be
copyrighted? Must one formally copyright a
document?

3. How Copyright Law Works
First, understand that copyrights protect original,
authored documents, both published and
unpublished. In essence, copyright is a form of
intellectual property protection that guards works
such as literature, movies, software, songs, poetry,
and even architecture. One important distinction is
that copyright cannot protect a fact, idea, or
operational method. Copyright can, however, protect
how an author expresses a fact or idea.

4. How Copyright Law Works
Keep in mind that registration with the United
States Copyright Office is noncompulsory.
Documents are automatically copyrighted the
moment an author creates a work. However,
authors who believe a third party has
infringed on their work will need to register
with the Copyright Office prior to bringing
about an infringement lawsuit.

5. About the Author
Raymond Bragar is the President and cofounder of
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. In early 2012, he filed
suit for his clients, attorneys Edward White and
Kenneth Elan, in a case against legal research
companies Westlaw and Lexis-Nexis. Westlaw and
Lexis gathered thousands of legal documents,
including those written by White and Elan, collected
them in searchable databases, and sold access to
those databases, earning profits from the written
works without permission from their authors.

6. About the Author
Raymond Bragar is the President and cofounder of
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. In early 2012, he filed
suit for his clients, attorneys Edward White and
Kenneth Elan, in a case against legal research
companies Westlaw and Lexis-Nexis. Westlaw and
Lexis gathered thousands of legal documents,
including those written by White and Elan, collected
them in searchable databases, and sold access to
those databases, earning profits from the written
works without permission from their authors.