Deck 12: Copyright Ownership Transfers and Duration

Question 1

When you buy a physical object, such as a handwritten speech by President Clinton, you also own all copyright rights in the work.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

After Nadia finishes her novel she decides to ask a friend to add an illustration to each chapter. The two are joint authors.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Tyler and Jason are joint authors of a song composed in 2000. Tyler died in 2010, and Jason died in 2015. How long does copyright in the work last?

Answer 3

The copyright lasts until 2085, which is 70 years after the last surviving co-author's (Jason's) death.​

Question 4

For copyright rights to be maintained, copyright registrations must be renewed.

Question 5

​ Three authors work on a book. They have no agreement as to division of profit. How will profit of $100,000 be divided?

Question 6

A transfer of copyright must be in writing.

Question 7

​Copyrights are items of property and thus may be transferred or  devised by will.

Question 8

To be joint authors, each party's contributions must be equal.

Question 9

A work created by an employee while on the job is presumed to be owned by the employer under the ______ doctrine.

Question 10

​ Transfers of copyright must be recorded with the Copyright Office.

Question 11

Any joint author of a work may grant an exclusive license to another party to use the work without permission of any coauthors.

Question 12

Leigh is hired by ABC Inc. to prepare a software program for a company. She works at home, has hired her own assistants, receives no benefits from ABC, and pays her own taxes. When the work is completed, Leigh begins working for another company. Leigh and ABC have no agreement as to ownership of copyright in the final work. Discuss which party owns the copyright in the software program.

Question 13

If a copyright owner transfers any one of her rights in a copyright (for example, he transfers the right to reproduce the work), all other rights  are automatically transferred as well.

Question 14

A work created by Josh during the scope and course of his employment with Target is owned by Target.

Question 15

There are four authors of a film. One grants a nonexclusive right to Moonlight Distributors to distribute the film in the United States. The other three authors were not consulted. Is this grant permissible? Discuss and indicate how profits arising from the distribution would be divided.

Question 16

If a worker is an independent contractor rather than an employee, copyright in works created by that worker are typically owned  by the worker.

Question 17

​ A copyright can be used as collateral to secure repayment of a loan.

Question 18

​ Ellen and Emily sit at a piano and collaborate on music and lyrics for a song. Are the two joint authors? Discuss.

Question 19

Duration of copyright in works made for hire is the same as duration of copyright in other works.

Question 20

Andrew and Brad write alternating chapters of a book about the Iraq war. Andrew is in Arizona, and Brad is in Michigan. Are the two joint authors? Discuss.

Question 21

Why were some critics unhappy with the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act that extended the term of copyright protection for 20 years?

Question 22

​ Transfers of copyright rights can be terminated and revoked after ______ years so that the original author can recapture his or her copyright rights in certain works.

Question 23

What is the policy reason underling the Copyright Act's provision that a transfer of a copyright can later be terminated or revoked and the original copyright owner's rights recovered?

Question 24

What is the current term of copyright protection for a book authored by John Grisham?