Intellectual Property Rights

I've taken a photo of an empty boat in a public harbor. I would like to print the photo and sell it. Do I need permission from the owner of the boat?

Stage performance rights

We obtained a license to perform a play, however the company that sold us this license does not have authority over video rights. If we want to make short videos of segments of the play to promote the upcoming production would we violate copyright?

Web Design legalities

I'm designing a dynamic marketing and ecommerce site for someone and I want to know what I can be held liable for. All hosting/registrations are currently in my name on my credit card. This is my first big project, and I am just becoming aware of the legal ramifications. He is providing the content and I just make it look/work right. I think I'm safe on copyright infringement, I'm more concerned with advertising laws and the ecommerce stuff. Thanks in advance.

Copright Issue with selling replica's

If i create a replica prop that was handmade by myself, crafted after a popular movie prop, such as Batman the Dark Knight's Mask/Cowl that he wears, and want to sell it on ebay. To avoid copyright issues can i instead list an item such as an officially licensed toy that i am allowed to sell and include the replica piece to be given free to the winning bidder? so in effect i am no longer selling my replica mask but instead am selling a toy and giving away the mask free in combination with the toy. Does this free me of any legal issues that Warner Bros might want to come after me for? am i then protected?

I have seen this done many times and to date it seems to work although they might just be lucky and it might have nothing to do with this technique. thank you!

Being hassled by informal cease and desist

I was an independent contractor and am using that work in my portfolio. They emailed me to take it down but the contract I signed does not make the works work-for-hire and in section 17 they said all demands are to be made in person or certified mail, so they appear to be in breach.

Who is in the right here? I don't want to budge on this, do I have enough of a case to seek further counsel from a local attorney or should I just give up and acquiesce? If it helps, you can find a redacted copy of the contract at www [dot] thinkpragma [dot] com/contract.pdf

thank you for any advice you can provide.

Photo Rights Usage

I have a business idea that involves documenting a series of sporting events through photography. The idea revolves around the major tournaments in golf and documenting them through creative, sometimes creatively retouched photos and narrative of the event. I of course know that I would need the permission of the PGA or any other organization running the tournament, but I'm wondering if I would need an individual release from each player to use their photos in the book? I'm not sure if the book would be considered ''newsworthy'' since the book wouldn't come out until many months later. Any help? The state is not necessarily Georgia, but that would be one for sure.

Model releases for vintage photos?

I plan to use vintage erotic images (circa 1900) for an adult website. All the pictures are public domain, but there is no way to know what age the models were when the shots were taken. All parties involved have long since passed on, but could ''underage'' be an issue?

Does Slight Retouching of a Photo Create a Derivative Work?

If I slightly retouch a photo using Photoshop, does this retouch-up create a derivative work based on the original work? Obviously a more major retouch would create a derivative work of the first and original work, but is it possible to retouch without creating a derivative work?

Thanks for any suggestions..

Copyright Law (continued)

My son attended a wilderness

training camp this

summer (Outward Bound), and had an excellent

experience. He has now written a

book, which he wants to call. One

young mans journey: My Outward Bound experience.

Does he need specific written

permission to use the name of Outward Bound in his book, since that is a registered trademark?

We have formally requested permission from OB, but it has not yet been granted. It hasn't been declined either..

Thanks

Steve

Tailgate Game

A new game that everyone plays at tailgate partys, Called Cornhole.

I made my own and put my a team logo onw it myself. I have had request after request to do one for them. What Can I do?

blog law

If I am a member of a forum of an on-line magazine and I post images and words there, do I have the right under law to retrieve my words and images should I be banned for any reason. In other words can the owner of a site who has banned you still keep your images in their gallery without your approval. What ownership of articles do I have that I have posted

Medical content

I'm starting a web site that will share dog health/medical content. I've was hoping to reference a couple vet books on common diseases. Where does copyright law land on the use of medical content (disease and biology topics)? Is it ''common knowledge?'' Obviously this is assuming no plagiarism. Thanks!

Property Rights

In 2004 I went to my company I was a sales manager and knew that the way of lending for our company needed to move forward into creating an online presence for lending but not for actual approvals but for an area of capturing a market that I felt wasn't being served correctly and also we were not even doing in business. I spoke to a friend about my ideas and my company and put together a business plan to create an online application for mortgage leads and they hired my friend based on my recommendation to create as a beta for us. We signed a contract based only on the creation but not on the actual creation of the product. My friend took my idean, rendering and layout and then created and branded the product under a seperate brand to sell to others. I didn't have any sort of agreement with my company that anything that was created in my position would be the company's property.

I have every piece of research and layout on my creation and how it actually came full circle.

My friend is now out selling it to other companies for a profit based on my concepts.

Do have enough background and documentation to move forward in a law suit on intellectual property theft?

It upsets me everyday that my idea is used.

Copyright infringement

I am a local TV commercial producer. A Real

Estate builder came to me with his copy of a :30

sec. commercial they produced and wanted me to

put in a 10 sec insert over some old information.

This is fairly common in this market. I did so and

now the video company that originally produced

the spot is threatening to sue me over copyright

infringement. they are stating 17 USC Section

101 et seq. section 504(c)(2) therein.

Legality

What is legality of selling high school apparel, does consent need to be obtained, or royalties need to be paid?

county codes

I live in Putnam County. I live on a dead end street. The last few years mobile homes have moved in with septic tanks are now have to be above ground. They have hauled dirt in and have made their places higher up and the flow of the water has changed where I now flood out everytime we get a heavy rain. They have not put a ditch between the properties. The county redid a culvert on our property line to drain into the river. But when the river is up it just backs up into our yard and floods our family room downstairs. We have lost our big oak tree because our yard now stays soaked. We lived here since 1995 and never had the problem that we have now since the mobiles were put in. We get nowhere with the county.We are on social security and disability and our income is low anddon't know what or where else to turn.

Why didn't Campbell soup sue Andy Warhol?

I am being told by a gallery owner that my use of a popular soft drink icon/mascot in an oil painting is probably infringement and that leads me to ask why Campbell's soup never sued Andy Warhol for the can imagery?

Computers

I have a computer which my ex girlfriend downloaded a bunch of pictures on, from her camera. I can't find them and may have accidently deleted them. We have since broken up, and she is requesting that I let her check my computer for things that might be hers. I don't feel comfortable with her being here, let alone being on my computer. I fear she will delete some of my files, just for spite. She insists she owns the copyright of the picutes, even though she herself put them on the computer. Am I in my legal rights to tell her no, and refusing to let her touch my personal computer?

Web Design and Internet Lawyer

Hello, I'm currently having software built for a new website business. The business has never been done, and some of the techniques in the business have never before been done. I've been told I need a lawyer adept at intellectual property and internet law. Where would I find such a lawyer? Are these lawyers listed by state? Is any lawyer qualified to practice internet law?

Thank you

Copyright Law

My son attended a wilderness

training camp (call it Cxmp X)this

summer, and had an excellent

experience. He has now written a

book, which he wants to call. One

young mans journey: My Camp X

experience.

Does he need specific written

permission to use the name of Camp

X in his book, since that is a

registered trademark of Camp X?