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Is Mickey Mouse in the Public Domain?

The IPKat

On 1st January every year we celebrate the array of works entering the public domain, as their copyright term expires. This year, entering the public domain [generally speaking] are copyright protected works created by people who died in 1953, for countries with a copyright term of life plus 70 years (e.g.,

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Mickey Mouse to Enter Public Domain in 2024

IPilogue

Every year on January 1, works protected under copyright law enter into the public domain due to their copyright protection expiring. Thus, as a new year approaches, those in the field of copyright look to see which works will expire at the end of the year. As a general rule in the U.S.,

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Mickey Mouse to Enter Public Domain in 2024

IPilogue

Every year on January 1, works protected under copyright law enter into the public domain due to their copyright protection expiring. Thus, as a new year approaches, those in the field of copyright look to see which works will expire at the end of the year. As a general rule in the U.S.,

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Whither a Signal-Based Broadcast Treaty?

Kluwer Copyright Blog

Copyright: WIPO. After a failed attempt to create a negotiating draft on these terms, the 2007 GA authorized progress to a Diplomatic Conference on the treaty “only after agreement on objectives, specific scope and object of protection has been achieved.” Photo: Emmanuel Berrod. International License.

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13 Spooky Copyright Cases, Just in Time for Halloween

Copyright Lately

Here are some of the greatest copyright horror stories, featuring such classics as “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Halloween,” “Dracula,” “Ghostbusters” and … a creepy McDonalds character? The only thing scarier than a slasher flick is a lawsuit. It’s Halloween time again! Skully Curly.

Copyright 144
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Parody under copyright and trade mark law: key guidance from Zorro. and the Italian Supreme Court

The IPKat

legal battle over the character of Zorro, the Supreme Court has provided important guidance on the requirements and limits of parody under both copyright [see also here for a recent French case] and trade mark law. Background Back in 2007, US company Zorro Productions sued CO.GE.DI. Let’s see what happened.

Copyright 138
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CAFC Upholds TTAB: TEEN TINKER BELL Confusable With Disney's TINKER BELL for Dolls

The TTABlog

Barrie's Peter Pan , first staged in 1904, and so the parties were in agreement that under copyright law, both the name and the character are in the public domain. It has used TINKER BELL as a trademark for dolls since 2007 and registered the mark in 2009 without a Section 2(f) acquired distinctiveness claim.