Copyright Infringement: Will Congress Make it Easier to Obtain a Remedy?

On October 22, 2019, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 2426, The Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2019. The intent of the legislation is to make it easier for copyright owners to seek enforcement of their rights in situations where the overall damages to the copyright owner are minimal. Essentially, the Copyright Office would create a Copyright Claims Board that would adjudicate infringement claims with damages under $30,000.

The rationale behind the legislation is that cost is a significant impediment to a copyright holder bringing a claim against someone infringing on their work. To bring a claim, as recently determined by the United States Supreme Court, the underlying work must be registered with the United States Copyright Office, which takes time and includes certain expenses. Once registered, the copyright owner can only seek a remedy in federal court, since that is the exclusive jurisdiction for a copyright infringement claim. This process is expensive and, although attorney’s fees can be recovered pursuant to section 505 of the Copyright Act, the United States Supreme Court has also recently limited the scope of recovery. The end result is that many copyright owners are unable to seek a remedy.

This legislation passed with near unanimous support in the United States House of Representatives and moves to the United States Senate for consideration. Should this legislation ultimately become law, it will likely have a significant impact on how copyright owners protect their intellectual property.

VW Contributor: Alex B. Rainville
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