Copyright

Spring 2010

Prof. William Fisher

 

Syllabus

All of the materials assigned in the course are contained in:

• Julie Cohen, Lydia Loren, Ruth Okediji, and Maureen O'Rourke, eds., Copyright in a Global Information Economy, Second Edition (Aspen 2006) [abbreviated hereafter as "Casebook"];
• the 2009 Case and Statutory Supplement to the Casebook [abbreviated hereafter as "Supplement"]; or
• Packets of mutlilithed materials available in the Distribution Center [abbreviated hereafter as "Materials"]. (Most of the these materials can also be obtained online using the links set forth below. Note, however, that some of the links lead to full-text versions of the materials, whereas only excerpts are assigned.)

This syllabus will be modified frequently during the course, so be sure to check the online version regularly.

 

Part I: What is Protected? (3 weeks)

A. Introduction: The Copyrightability of Characters (1 class)

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. v. American Honda Motor Co., Casebook 280-83
• Titan Sports, Inc. v. Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc., Casebook 284-85
• Note on Fan Fiction, Casebook 287-88

B. Originality (1 class)

• 17 U.S.C 102
• Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., Casebook 101-06
• Note on Originality, Casebook 57-58
• Burrow-Giles Lithographic Co. v. Sarony, Casebook 59-62
• Bleistein v. Donaldson Lithographing Co., Casebook 62-64
• Mannion v. Coors Brewing Co., 377 F.Supp. 2d 444 (SDNY 2006), Supplement 353-57
• Note on Obviousness, Casebook 65-67
• Alfred Bell & Co. v. Catalda Fine Arts, Inc., Casebook 67-70
• Meshwerks v. Toyota, 528 F.3d 1258 (CA10 2008), Supplement 357-62

The International Framework (1 class):

• Notes on Treaties and Institutions, Casebook 33-42
• Jan Bohanes & Adrian Emch, WTO Panel Report on China IPR: A Mixed Result, China Law & Practice, March 2009, Materials ____

C. The Idea/Expression Distinction (1 class)

• Note on Idea/Expression, Casebook 72-73
• Baker v. Selden, Casebook 72-76
• Nichols v. Universal Pictures Corp., Casebook 326-30
• Note on the Public Domain, Casebook 79-80
• A.A. Hoehling v. Universal City Studios, Inc., Casebook 80-85
• American Dental Association v. Delta Dental Plans Association, Casebook 86-90
• Alexander v. Haley, 460 F.Supp. 40 (SDNY 1978), Materials, 1-3

D. Fixation (1/2 class)

• Note on Fixation, Casebook 47-48
• Williams Electronics, Inc. v. Artic International, Inc., Casebook 48-51
• MAI Systems Corp. v. Peak Computer, Inc., Casebook 51-53
• Note on Cartoon Network v. CSC Holdings (2008), Supplement 351-52
• Note on Technology, Casebook 54-57

Labor-Desert Theory (1 class):

• Justin Hughes, "The Philosophy of Intellectual Property," 77 Georgetown L.J. 287, 296-314 (1988), Materials, 4-33

Economic Theory (1 class):

• Note on Incentive for Authors, Casebook 6-9
• Trotter Hardy, "Property (and Copyright) in Cyberspace," Casebook 6-9
• William Fisher, "Theories of Intellectual Property" in Stephen Munzer, ed., New Essays in the Legal and Political Theory of Property (Cambridge University Press, 2001), Section III.A., Materials, 34-90
• F.M. Scherer, "The Innovation Lottery" (2001), Materials, Part I, 91-109

E. Useful Objects (2 classes)

• Mazer v. Stein, Casebook 211-13 
• Note on Separability, Casebook 214-15 
• Kieselstein-Cord v. Accessories by Pearl, Inc., Casebook 215-18 
• Carol Barnhart Inc. v. Economy Cover Corp., Casebook 218-21 
• Brandir International, Inc. v. Cascade Pacific Lumber Co., Casebook 221-24 
• Notes on Other Forms of Protection, Casebook 226-33 
• Reichman, Legal Hybrids, Casebook 23-35 
• Keith Aoki, "Contradiction and Context in American Copyright Law," 9 Cardozo Arts & Entertaiment Law Journal 303 (1991) Part III (pages 357-83), Materials, 110-118

F. Architecture (1/2 class)

• Notes on Architecture, Casebook 269 
• The Yankee Candle Co. v. New England Candle Co., Casebook 270-72
• Nelson-Salabes, Inc. v. Morningside Holdings, Casebook 273-76 
• Intervest Construction v. Canterbury Estate Homes, 554 F.3d 914 (CA11 2008), Supplement 388-91
• Notes on Limits to Copyright Protection, Casebook 277-280    

G. Software (1 class)

• Note on Text or Machine, Casebook 235-38
• Apple Computer, Inc. v. Franklin Computer Corp., Casebook 238-39
• Notes on Copyright Protection for Different Sorts of Software, Casebook 239-43
• Computer Associates International, Inc. v. Altai, Inc., Casebook 243-51
• Softel, Inc. v. Dragon Medical and Scientific Communications, Inc., Casebook 251-53
• Lotus Development Corporation v. Borland International, Inc., Casebook 255-62
• Notes on Other Forms of Protection, Casebook 263-69  

Part II. Ownership (2 weeks)

A. Authorship (1.5 classes)

• 17 USC 201, Casebook 110-111 
• Lindsay v. The Wrecked and Abandoned Vessel R.M.S. Titanic, Casebook 111-12 
• Erickson v. Trinity Theatre, Inc., Casebook 113-14 
• Aalmuhammed v. Lee, Casebook 114-16 
• Community for Creative Non-Violence v. Reid, Casebook 119-24 
• Aymes v. Bonelli, Casebook 124-25 
• Note on Foreign Works, Casebook 125-26 
• Avtec Systems, Inc. v. Peiffer, Casebook 127-29 
• Notes on Works for Hire, Casebook 129-34 
• Notes on Government Works, Casebook 134-38 

The Ideology of Creativity (1 class):

• Martha Woodmansee, "On the Author Effect: Recovering Collectivity," 10 Cardozo Arts & Entertainment L. J. 279 (19920, Materials ___
• Peter Jaszi, "Toward a Theory of Copyright: The Metamorphoses of `Authorship,'" 1991 Duke L.J. 455, 485-491, Materials ___

B. Opting In and Opting Out (1 class)

• Notes on Formalities, Casebook 139-44
• Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr. v. CBS, Inc., Casebook 144-47
• More Notes on Formalities, Casebook 147-52
• Christopher Sprigman, "Reform(alizing) Copyright," 57 Stan. L. Rev. 485 (2004), pp. 545-568, Materials ___
• Browse the "Creative Commons" website: http://creativecommons.org/

C. Duration (1 class)

• Notes on Duration, Casebook 153-59
• Eldred v. Ashcroft, Casebook 159-67

D. Renewals and Transfers (1 class)

• Note on Renewals, Casebook 169
• Stewart v. Abend, Casebook 170-75
• Note on Transfers, Casebook 177-82
• New York Times Company v. Tasini, Casebook 200-05

Part III. Rights and Their Limitations (5 weeks)

A. The Right to Reproduce (3 classes)

• 17 U.S.C. 106
• Notes on Infringement, Casebook 313-15
• Three Boys Music Corp. v. Michael Bolton, Casebook 315-18
• Selle v. Gibb, Casebook 318-20
• Ty, Inc. v. GMA Accessories, Inc., Casebook 320-22
• Note on Independent Creation, Casebook 323-25
• Nichols v. Universal Pictures Corp., (reprise) Casebook 326-30
• Arnstein v. Porter, Casebook 330-32
• Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions, Inc. v. McDonald's Corp., Casebook 333-35
• Steinberg v. Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Casebook 336-41
• Boisson v. Banian, Ltd., Casebook 341-44
• Mannion v. Coors Brewing Co., 377 F.Supp. 2d 444 (SDNY 2006), Supplement 393-96
• Computer Associates International, Inc. v. Altai, Inc., Casebook 345-47
• Cavalier v. Random House, Inc., Casebook 349-54
• Swirsky v. Carey, Casebook 354-58
• Marobie-FL, Inc. v. National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors, Casebook 360-62
• Note on Ephemeral Copies, Casebook 363-64  

B. The Right to Modify (2 classes)

• 17 U.S.C. 106A
• Notes on Derivative Works, Casebook 385-86
• Goldstein, "Derivative Rights," Casebook 386-87
• Castle Rock Entertainment, Inc. v. Carol Publishing Group, Inc., Casebook 387-91
• Dam Things from Denmark a/k/a Troll Company ApS v. Russ Berrie & Company, Inc., Casebook 387-94
• Mirage Editions, Inc. v. Albuquerque A.R.T. Company, Casebook 396-97
• Lee v. A.R.T. Company, Casebook 398-99
• Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc., Casebook 400-03
• Micro Star v. FormGen Inc., Casebook 403-06
• Notes on Linking and Framing, Casebook 408-08
• Gilliam v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., Casebook 409-13
• Carter v. Helmsley-Spear, Inc., Casebook 415-17
• Martin v. City of Indianapolis, Casebook 418-22
• Dastar Corporation v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Casebook 423-25

Personality Theory:  (1 class)

• Margaret Jane Radin, Reinterpreting Property 36-44 (1993), Materials ___
• Justin Hughes, "The Philosophy of Intellectual Property," 77 Georgetown L.J. 287, 330-49 (1988), Materials ___ 

C. The Right to Distribute (1 class)

• Marobie-FL, Inc. v. National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors, Casebook 365
• Hotaling v. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Casebook 365-67
• Capitol Records v. Thomas, 579 F.Supp. 2d 1210 (D. Minn. 2008), Supplement 398-402
• Bobbs-Merrill Company v. Straus, Casebook 369-71
• Notes on the First-Sale Doctrine, Casebook 371-77
• Vernor v. Autodesk, 555 F.Supp. 2d 1164 (WD Wash. 2008), Supplement 403-08
• Quality King Distributors, Inc. v. L'anza Research International, Inc., Casebook 378-81
• More Notes on the First-Sale Doctrine, Casebook 381-84

D. The Rights to Perform and Display (1 class)

• Notes on Performance, Casebook 426-28
• Columbia Pictures Indus. v. Redd Horne, Inc., Columbia Pictures Indus. v. Redd Horne, Inc., Casebook 428-31
• Cartoon Network v. CSC Holdings, 536 F.3d 121 (CA2 2008), Supplement 413-18
• Perfect 10 v. Amazon.com. 508 F.3d 1146 (CA9 2007), Supplement 419-23
• More Notes on Performance and Display, Casebook 432-443

E. Fair Use (3 classes)

• 17 U.S.C. 107
• Background Material, Casebook 525-30
• Sony Corporation of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., 464 U.S. 417 (1984), Materials ___
• Harper & Row, Publishers v. Nation Enterprises, Casebook 531-36
• Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc., Casebook, 538-46
• New Era Publications Int'l v. Carol Publishing Group, Inc., Casebook 548-51
• Castle Rock Entertainment v. Carol Publishing Group, Inc., Casebook 551-53
• Nuñez v. Caribbean International News Corp. (El Vocero de Puerto Rico), Casebook 554-56
• Bill Graham Archives v. Dorling Kindersley, 448 F.3d 605 (CA2 2006), Materials 445-49
• Notes on Fair Use, Casebook 556-62
• Sega Enterprises Ltd. v. Accolade, Inc., Casebook 562-66
• Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. v. Connectix Corp., Casebook 567-70
• More Notes on Fair Use, Casebook 570-73
• Perfect 10 v. Amazon.com. 508 F.3d 1146 (CA9 2007), Supplement 450-53
• American Geophysical Union v. Texaco, Inc., Casebook 585-91
• Princeton University Press v. Michigan Document Services, Inc., Casebook 591-95
• A&M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc., Casebook 600-02  

Cultural Theory (1 class)

• William Fisher, "Reconstructing the Fair Use Doctrine," 101 Harv. L. Rev. 1659 (1988): Part V (pages 1745-83), Materials ___ 

F. The Music Industry (2 classes)

• Background Material, Casebook 443-50
• Newton v. Diamond, Casebook 450-55
• Bridgeport Music, Inc. v. Dimension Films LLC, Casebook 455-57
• Notes on the Music Industry, Casebook 458-72
• William Fisher, Promises to Keep: Technology, Law and the Future of Entertainment (2004), Introduction, Chapter 6, Materials ___
• 20 USC 1094(a)(29) (adopted in 2008)

G. Misuse (1/2 class)

• In re Napster, Inc. Copyright Litigation, Casebook 719-25
• Assessment Technologies of WI v. WIREdata, Inc., Casebook 725-29
• Notes on Misuse, Casebook 729-34

H. Secondary Liability (1 class)

• Fonovisa, Inc. v. Cherry Auction, Inc., Casebook 480-83
• Religious Technology Center v. Netcom On-Line Communication Services, Inc., Casebook 483-86
• Sony Corporation of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., 464 U.S. 417 (1984) (reprise), Materials ___
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. v. Grokster, Casebook 490-99
• Notes on OSP Liability, Casebook 501-05
• More Notes on OSP Liability, Supplement 434-42

 

Part IV: Paracopyright (1 week)

A. Technological Protection Measures (1.5 classes)

• Background Materials, Casebook 603-09
• Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Reimerdes, Casebook 609-21
• Notes on Rulemaking, Casebook 623-24
• Notes on International Approaches, Casebook 624-25
• Chamberlain Group Inc., v. Skylink Tech., Inc., Casebook 627-34
• Lexmark Int'l, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc., Casebook 634-38
• Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. v. Jung, 422 F.3d 630 (CA8 2005), Materials ___
• Urs Gasser, "Transposing the Copyright Directive: Legal Protection of Technological Measures in EU-Member States" (2004)

B. Copyright Management Information (1/2 class)

• Notes on Copyright Management Information, Casebook 640-41
• Kelly v. Arriba Soft Corp., Casebook 641-42
• IQ Group v. Wiesner Publishing, 409 F.Supp. 2d 587 (DNJ 2006), Supplement 461-65

C. Broadcast Flags (1/2 class)

• Notes on Digital Television, Casebook 644-47

 

Last modified January 7, 2010

William Fisher

Email: tfisher@law.harvard.edu
Homepage: tfisher.org