How do I obtain a copyright?
The creator of a work, known as the "author" in copyright parlance, owns a copyright as soon as the work is completed and placed in a tangible form.
A copyright grants its owner important exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce the work and the right to create new, derivative works based on the original.
A registration is not necessary for copyright ownership, but a registration is required to enforce the copyright in federal court and can provide the copyright owner with some crucial remedies that might not otherwise be available.
Is a copyright notice required?
The familiar ©, indicating that a work is copyrighted, is no longer required for the ownership of copyright rights.
However, such notice, consisting of the (symbol) or the word "Copyright," the name of the author and the date the work was created, is still a good idea as it provides notice to the public that the work is considered proprietary by its author.
If you don't protect it, anything you create is up for grabs.
The information contained on this webpage is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. To discuss a legal issue or obtain legal advice please contact an attorney in our office.