Road Runner Records

Hello, Road Runner Records owes me a substantial amount of royalties and have admitted to this yet 3-4 years later have still not taken care of this situation. I have repeatedly requested copies of the contract from them which they have said they would send but never arrives. I am having dificulty with understanding why and would like to find a lawyer who would consider my case on a contingency bases if possible or any information on lawyers who deal with the entertainment industry.

Echostar vs. TiVo Patent and Personal Property

I own a DishPVR from Echostar, on which I receive and digitally record their satellite broadcast. TiVo seems to have won a case that this device violates their patent. Part of the repercussions are reported to be that Echostar will need to shut off the DVRs on their system.

Many DishPVRs are leased from Echostar, so they are Echostar's property. I understand that they can be required to shut off those devices (or at least remove the offending features).

But I own my DishPVR. Just because it is technically possible for Echostar to shut off my box, how can they be required to modify my private property?

If I had bought an independent electronic device that was found to be in violation of a patent, the manufacturer (or retailer) could not be asked to compel me to bring it in so they could take it or cripple it. The violator would be forced to pay a penalty, but I as a customer wouldn't have any liability or penalty, right? Even if I brought my device in for repair, they can't modify it without my permission either, right?

Can you explain how the DishPVR that I bought and paid for (no lease fee, no PVR fee) is different?

Oh, and as an affected party, do I have the right to ask this question of the presiding judge?

title to a patent

Can I use and market an invention that was patented by a private contractor while I was paying him consulting fees. The device he patented was first designed for use on my project. We had no written agreement regarding inventions and such.

business idea

I have a business idea for a product that requires meeting with a computer programer to use there services. What legal document would I use to protect my idea from being used by them after completion? I am contemplating purchase from a on line legal forms site.

Video game modification and IP infringement

Valve software corporation produces a popular video game series called ''Half Life''. Valve provides software tools so that end users with a knowledge of programming and 3D design can replace all existing art assets, effectively creating a new game using Valve's ''Source'' engine. Unfort., these days, well over 1/3 of all user created HL2 mods involve IP infringing content. The ability to play and make games with popular (and infringing) IPs as their subject certainly helps to drive sales of the Source engine.

Is Valve liable for ''for contributory and vicarious copyright infringement'' under the DMCA?

Could the aggrieved IP holders start a class action suit?

What would the most likely outcome of such a lawsuit be?

I think a similar instance is seen in the suit Marvel brought against NCSoft's ''City of Heroes'' franchise. NCSoft settled out of court.

I realize that this is a hypoth~ ques., but a definitive ans. may help avoid a world-wide community of aspiring game devs. avoid being litigated out of existence. I'm a legit game dev looking to inform the community.

intellectual property

Can you license and idea?

Declaratory Judgement Suit

On my spare time, I developed software part-time for a software firm where I was a board of director with 10% of stock ownership. After a copyright ownership dispute, I was removed from the board and requested to transfer the copyright of all the works I did to the firm. If I did not do that, the firm threatened to file a Declaratory Judgment Suit against me. I am willing to let the firm own the copyright of all the works I did on a non-exclusive basis until we can determine what works I did were not made for hire. Is there any ground for a Declaratory Judgment Suit if I verbally grant them non-exclusive copyright to use the works I did until further notice?

Copyright Question

Without an employment agreement or any agreement with ''works made for hire'' clauses, do I have to give up my copyright on the works I did while I was a board of director and got paid once a year in form W-2?

Protecting T-Shirt Designs

Is it possible to legally protect the designs that go on a t-shirt? I am a partner in a startup t-shirt business and I am concerned about the ability of others to copy our original designs.

Protecting an idea

I created a fund raising idea that has raised a lot of money. I want to package and market this idea around the United States. Do I trademark the name, patent the idea...or both. Or in this situation do I just begin marketing it and hope no one steals the idea and does it on their own? What type of attorney do I need to seek counsel from..intellectual property or another area of the law?

Copyright infringement and video game modification...

Valve software corporation produces a popular video game series called ''Half Life''. Valve provides software tools so that end users with a knowledge of programming and 3D design can replace all existing art assets, effectively creating a new game using Valve's ''Source'' engine. Unfort., these days, well over 1/3 of all user created HL2 mods involve IP infringing content. The ability to play and make games with popular (and infringing) IPs as their subject certainly helps to drive sales of the Source engine.

1. Is Valve liable for ''for contributory and vicarious copyright infringement'' under the DMCA?

2. Could the aggrieved IP holders start a class action suit?

3. What would the most likely outcome of such a lawsuit be?

I think a similar instance is seen in the suit Marvel brought against NCSoft's ''City of Heroes'' franchise. NCSoft settled out of court.

BTW, this is not a ''homework question''. I'm a legitimate game dev (hence the email addy!), concerned that the future of game modding is being jeopardized by ppl who create IP infringing mods. I'm looking for ways to inform the modding community about the pitfalls of IP infringement. If you don't want to answer the question, fine, but there's no reason to be insulting.

Internet Graphics

I would like to begin selling themes and templates for a sports based website. Customers would submit a request for graphics that would include pictures of NFL players found on the internet using google searches. These pictures would be combined with custom graphics to create new graphics which would be included as part of the template. Is this within fair use?

Pro Se Litigation Florida Circuit Court

I'm filing a pro se defamation lawsuit in Florida circuit court. I'd like to get sample or actual pleadings for frames of reference. Where can I obtain same? I'd also like to get hold of any other pro se litigation reference tools.

Adding a spouse to the deed of the home

Can I just add my spouse to the deed? The homw is paid for. I want her to have survivorship rights. So she must be added. Do I need a Lawyer to do this? Or can I just file with the Clerk of Court?

Billing Data

Does a company that provides billing and collection services to healthcare providers, have to give up their computer data when the provider decides to do their own billing or go to another billing company? Note: the billing company produced all computer data from paper media

Rights to a patented invention

Do I have the rights to a patented invention that was invented and patented by an indepedent engineering contractor as part of a system he was being paid by me to design for me. There was no written contract regarding the rights to such an invention.

Copyright Infringement of WW II Music

The owner of the website of which I am the webmaster likes to have WWII German military music playing in the background. Most comprise a singing group with accompanying instrumentals. He (the owner of the site) insists these are public domain and don't infringe on any copyrights. One song in particular is from a YouTube video which has a copyright note at the end of the video. The video is playing the song while scrolling through the words of the stanzas. At the beginning of the video is a painting of a prominent historical figure, while at the end, a flag is displayed. Obviously, the person who created the video (and copyrighted it) did not write, sing, or perform on the instruments of the song. The owner of the website wants only the MUSIC to be played on the site. Is using this music a litigational action? Also, can I, the webmaster, who would create the necessary html files to use this music, be held liable for copyright infringement? Thank you.

Intellectual property laws

Are there any intellectual property lawers who work on a contingency basis rather than an hourly rate in the U.S.? If so who are they and how can I contact them?

Statute of limitations for software cracking?

Assuming the person completely stopped years ago, what is the statute of limitations before she/he is no longer liable for cracking software (removing trial expiration periods, time limits, etc) under the DMCA or any other related usable laws, and having released those cracks/serial numbers to the public?

Say for, roughly 1000 programs?

Intellectual Property use

We build TV spot for clients directly and for ad agencies for their clients. We posted an ad that we build for an ad agencies client. Now that we are also acting as an agency for clients....the agency is upset and has requested we remove the demo of the tv spot from our site. The spot is being used as a demo of our work. Can they tell us to remove it? Please advise