Copyright Law LAW 405

Description

This course is a detailed examination of the entire range of copyright law, including protection for literary, musical, artistic, and other works of authorship. The course is centered on a consideration of the 1976 federal copyright statute, as amended by several recent pieces of legislation, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (the DMCA). Topics covered include what kinds of work are protected by copyright, ownership of copyright, and the rights and remedies provided by copyright law. In addition to exploring basic questions about the purposes, nature, and scope of copyright raised by the federal legislation, this course gives special attention to current controversies concerning the extension of traditional copyright principles to the online environment, the legality of peer-to-peer networks, protection for computer programs, Internet service provider liability, the constitutionality of new and greater forms of copyright protection, the interaction of copyright and free speech principles, and the effect of international treaties upon U.S. copyright law.

Schedule