The Copyright Office

Under the current law a copyright lasts for the life of the creator plus 50 years.  However, works created prior to 1978 were copyrighted for 28 years and the copyright could be re­newed for one more term.  Works protected by copyright in 1978 received a special ex­tension making them eligible for protection for 75 years from the date of first publication or registration.

You can find out who owns a copyright in a variety of ways.  If there is a copyright notice on the work the name of the owner is in­cluded.  If the work was registered with the Copyright Office you can consult its Catalog of Copyright Entries.

The Copyright Office is online. Its web page can be entered through the Library of Congress homepage (http://lcweb.loc.gov/). You can search the copyright registration database, obtain forms for registering your copyrights in .PDF format, and obtain copies of publications explaining copyright and procedures to follow in registering. There is also a Forms Hotline, (202) 707-9100, where you can leave a message re­questing specific forms or publications, which will be mailed to you within a few weeks.

Suffice it to say, if you are the owner of a work you can take the steps necessary to protect your interest without legal assistance in most cases.  The Copyright Office has a number of free publications to assist you. It is when your copyright has been infringed or when a dispute arises over ownership that you probably need a lawyer.  As I said above, if you are planning to invoke the "Fair Use" doctrine you should seek advice.