This document from the Agrawal Law Firm discusses copyright law. It states that copyright provides the exclusive right to copy and distribute a work, and exists as soon as a work is fixed in a tangible medium. Copyright protects original works including books, music, art, movies, and software. Copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years or 95-120 years if a work is anonymous or for hire. Fair use allows copying for purposes like criticism, news reporting, teaching, and research. The copyright notice and registration provide additional legal protections.

1. copyrights AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC 8333 OLIVE BOULEVARD ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63132 314-566-9294 © 2010 AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

2. AGRAWAL LAW FIRMCOPYRIGHTS COPYRIGHT IS THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO COPY A WORK. IT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE IDEA ITSELF BUT THE EXPRESSION OF THE IDEA. DOES NOT PROTECT THE IDEA, PROCEDURE, PROCESS, METHOD OR CONCEPT. PROTECTS THE IDEA THAT IS EXPRESSED. A COPYRIGHT EXISTS THE MOMENT IT IS CREATED, WHICH IS WHEN THE WORK IS FIXED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A TANGIBLE MEDIUM OF EXPRESSION © 2010 AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

3. AGRAWAL LAW FIRMCOPYRIGHTS COPYRIGHTS PROTECT: BOOKS, CATALOGS, SOFTWARE MUSICAL WORKS AND ACCOMPANYING WORDS DRAMATIC WORKS AND ACCOMPANYING WORDS CHOREOGRAPHIC WORK PICTURES, PHOTOS, GRAPIC AND SCUPTURE MOTION PICTURES AND OTHER AUDIOVISUAL WORKS SOUND RECORDINGS ARCHITECTURAL WORK © 2010 AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

4. AGRAWAL LAW FIRMCOPYRIGHTS COPYRIGHT PROVIDES 6 RIGHTS MAKE REPRODUCTIONS CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS DISTRIBUTE THE WORK PERFORM IN PUBLIC DISPLAY TRANSMIT THE WORK DIGITALLY A COPYRIGHT IS INFRINGED BY THE UNAUTHORIZED EXERCISE OF ANY OF THESE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS © 2010 AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

5. AGRAWAL LAW FIRMCOPYRIGHTS HOW LONG DO COPYRIGHTS LAST? LIFE OF THE AUTHOR PLUS 7O YEARS. FOR ANONYMOUS WORKS OR WORKS MADE FOR HIRE A COPYRIGHT EXISTS FOR THE SHORTER OF: 95 YEARS FROM THE FIRST PUBLICATION DATE OR 120 YEARS FROM CREATION. © 2010 AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

6. AGRAWAL LAW FIRMCOPYRIGHTS PLACE COPYRIGHT NOTICE ON ALL DOCUMENTS: ” © 2010 AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.” THE NOTICE DOES NOT ALLOW DAMAGES REGISTER WITH COPYRIGHT OFFICE YOUR DOCUMENT (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS) TO GET DAMAGES. REGISTRATION WITHIN 5 YEARS RAISES LEGAL PRESUMPTION OF OWNERSHIP AND VALIDITY OF THE COPYRIGHT. REGISTRATION ALLOWS DAMAGES AND POSSIBLE ATTORNEY’S FEES. © 2010 AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

7. AGRAWAL LAW FIRMCOPYRIGHTS FAIR USE --COPYRIGHT LAWS ALLOW YOU TO COPY MATERIAL FOR THE PURPOSE OF CRITICISM NEWS REPORTING TEACHING SCHOLARSHIP RESEARCH © 2010 AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

8. AGRAWAL LAW FIRMCOPYRIGHTS WHO OWNS THE WORK? EMPLOYEE CREATES A WORK WITHIN THE SCOPE OF EMPLOYMENT -- EMPLOYER IS THE AUTHOR WORK FOR HIRE --WHEN A COMPANY OR A PERSON HIRES AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR TO CREATE A WORK. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR OWNS THE WORK. MUST HAVE AN AGREEMENT IN THE EMPLOMENT CONTRACT THAT THE WORK IS BEING CREATED FOR A “WORK FOR HIRE”. OTHERWISE THE CONTRACTOR CAN COPY , USE, SELL, OR ASSIGN THE WORK TO SOMEONE ELSE. CO-AUTHORS – EACH HAS THE RIGHT TO FREELY USE AND ASSIGN THE WORK, ABSENT AN AGREEMENT STATING OTHERWISE. © 2010 AGRAWAL LAW FIRM, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.