News & Analysis as of

Trademarks Public Domain

A Trademark is a legally registered distinctive mark or sign which identifies goods, products or services that originate or are associated with a particular person or enterprise . A typical example of a trademark... more +
A Trademark is a legally registered distinctive mark or sign which identifies goods, products or services that originate or are associated with a particular person or enterprise . A typical example of a trademark would be a company's logo such as the Nike "Check" or McDonald's "Golden Arches."  less -
Dickinson Wright

Free Mickey? (Don’t Be Goofy)

Dickinson Wright on

January 1, 2024, brought numerous hangovers along with an unprecedented amount of media attention to intellectual property law. That is because, as of the new year, one of the most famous cartoon characters in history –...more

Amundsen Davis LLC

Disney's Icon Unleashed: Mickey Mouse & The Dual Dance of Copyright and Trademark Laws

Amundsen Davis LLC on

Copyrights protect creative works. Trademarks protect indicators of source. Can a creative work also act as a trademark? Yes, and the character of Mickey Mouse as portrayed in Disney’s animated classic Steamboat Willie is a...more

Conn Kavanaugh

It All Started With A Mouse: What Happens When Iconic Characters Enter the Public Domain?

Conn Kavanaugh on

As one of the largest and most iconic entertainment brands in the world, the Walt Disney Company is most readily associated with two things: their main mascot, Mickey Mouse, and the fierce protection of their intellectual...more

International Lawyers Network

Trademark Considerations for Copyrighted Works in the Public Domain

In the United States, an original work of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression (meaning the work can be communicated in a visual or audio form) is a protectable copyright. This means that the owner has the...more

Brooks Kushman P.C.

Crafting Clarity in IP Agreements: Guidance from the “Fables” Dispute

Brooks Kushman P.C. on

In a recent and surprising turn of events, Bill Willingham, the creator of the acclaimed “Fables” comic series, declared his intention to place his creative work into the public domain. This bold move was met with swift...more

Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP

Mickey Mouse and the Public Domain: Is Use of Mickey Mouse Now Fair Game or Is that Just Fantasyland?

If you know me well, you know that I am an admitted Disney fanatic. So, you can imagine my initial horror when I heard media rumblings that Disney was losing its copyright to my favorite mouse, Mickey. Upon further...more

Caldwell

Steamboat Willie Enters Public Domain

Caldwell on

On January 1, 2024, the copyrighted 1928 motion picture “Steamboat Willie,” featuring one of the earlier-versions of Mickey Mouse, became public domain. The copyright protection for the motion picture expired, meaning that...more

Vondran Legal

Mickey Mouse headed to the public domain but what can you do with it?

Vondran Legal on

Mickey Mouse is one of the most prolific cartoon characters of all time. Walt Disney incorporated in 1923 and first aired a video of Mickey Mouse (which I shall refer to as Mickey Mouse 1.0) in the short cartoon "Steamboat...more

AEON Law

Patent Poetry: TTAB: No Bright-Line Rule against Trademarks for Characters

AEON Law on

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) has reiterated that there is no “strict or bright-line rule against registration of characters.” The case is In re Joseph A. Stallard, 2023 USPQ2d 1009 (TTAB 2023)....more

Womble Bond Dickinson

U.S. Supreme Court Alert: If you copy an unpatented furniture design, does that help prove that the design was iconic and...

Womble Bond Dickinson on

Furniture manufacturer admits intentionally copying designs, asks Supreme Court, What does copying really say about trademark status of design? While offering a new design for sale without obtaining a patent often means...more

AEON Law

Patent Poetry: Sherlock Holmes and Winnie the Pooh Now in Public Domain

AEON Law on

Every year on January 1, new works enter the public domain. In 2023, all literary works, musical compositions, and movies first published or released in 1927 entered the public domain in the United States. Earlier works...more

Whitman Legal Solutions, LLC

Just Because It’s On the Internet Doesn’t Mean It’s In the Public Domain

Just Because it’s Published Doesn’t Mean it’s in the Public Domain - Some people think that if something is on the Internet, it’s in the public domain and is fair game to be copied. Not true! Giving the public access to an...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Video Gaming / E-Gaming Law Update – February 2022

[co-author: Avanthi Cole] Main Quest - How To Tell ROM From Right - As we review some of the more prominent legal issues that impacted the video game industry this past year and consider what 2022 may have in store,...more

Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP

Non-Disclosure Agreements

Non-Disclosure Agreements (“NDA”) are customary at the onset of discussions for many commercial transactions, including mergers/acquisitions and joint ventures, and are among the most common agreements that come across a...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Trademark, Copyright &...

Out With The Old, In With The Gatsby Sequels: Trademark and Copyright News for the New Year

Most of us were thrilled to see the calendar turn to 2021 on January 1, closing the chapter on what was an extremely challenging year around the globe. Now that we are a month into the new year, and the fireworks have faded...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

MarkIt to Market® - January 2020

The January 2020 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter discusses the following topics: - The TTAB's affirmation to refuse a mark to distillery Jos. A. Magnus & Co.; - Six trademark and copyright cases...more

Carlton Fields

Getting Creative with Video Games: DMCA Takedowns and You

Carlton Fields on

Back to Basics: A Primer on Intellectual Property Rights in Video Games - In this series, we discuss some of the fundamental concepts of intellectual property law as they relate specifically to video game companies and...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Trademark, Copyright &...

Law Students Seek to “Free Rapunzel from The Trademark Tower” by Opposing RAPUNZEL as a Trademark for Dolls

In an interesting case pending before the TTAB, law students from the Suffolk University IP and Entrepreneurship Clinic have opposed an application filed by United Trademark Holdings, Inc. to register RAPUNZEL as a trademark...more

Ladas & Parry LLP

Under The 2EA: TTAB Holds Little Mermaid Merely Descriptive For Dolls

Ladas & Parry LLP on

In a precedential decision in In re United Trademark Holdings, Inc, Serial 86836082 (June 13 2017), the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) has held that LITTLE MERMAID used in connection with “dolls” in Class 28 is...more

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP

Top Ten Urban Legends of Intellectual Property

1. Poor Man’s patent/copyright: mail yourself a copy of what you want protected and don’t open it.The sealed information can then be used to prove ownership of the intellectual property contained in it. While this may...more

Knobbe Martens

Curiouser and Curiouser: Copyrights and Trademark Rights are Not Perfect Reflections

Knobbe Martens on

Much like the world of Underland created in Lewis Carroll’s book Alice Through the Looking Glass, the blurring between copyright and trademark rights can create a topsy-turvy universe....more

WilmerHale

Copyright and Trademark Case Review: Who’s on First?, Virtual Lockers and Lanham Act Fee-Shifting

WilmerHale on

Copyright Opinions - Second Circuit Permits Distribution of Cloud-Based Samples, But Declines to Consider “Novel” Cloud Storage Infringement Issue: Smith v. Barnesandnoble.com, LLC, No. 15-3508 (2d Cir. October 6,...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Trademark, Copyright &...

I Really Like “I [LOVE] NY” – The History Of An Iconic Logo And Ad Campaign

I am in New York City for the Intellectual Property Owners Association’s (“IPO”) Annual Meeting. I have been to the Annual Meeting before in other cities and had a great time, but was thrilled when I heard that it was going...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Trademark, Copyright &...

The Pleads Of The Many: 50 Years of Star Trek Lawsuits

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the premiere of the original series of Star Trek, which first aired on NBC in September 1966. On July 22, this milestone will be marked in earnest when Paramount Pictures releases...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Trademark, Copyright &...

Copyright Strategies for Start-Up Companies

As a leader of a start-up company, you are probably aware of the importance of protecting your company’s innovative products, services and technologies through patent filings. If you are savvy, you are also aware of the...more

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JD Supra Privacy Policy

Updated: Dec 28, 2021:

JD Supra is a legal publishing service that connects experts and their content with broader audiences of professionals, journalists and associations.

This Privacy Policy describes how JD Supra, LLC ("JD Supra" or "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses and shares personal data collected from visitors to our website (located at www.jdsupra.com) (our "Website") who view only publicly-available content as well as subscribers to our services (such as our email digests or author tools)(our "Services"). By using our Website and registering for one of our Services, you are agreeing to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

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Information for EU and Swiss Residents

JD Supra's principal place of business is in the United States. By subscribing to our website, you expressly consent to your information being processed in the United States.

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You can make a request to exercise any of these rights by emailing us at privacy@jdsupra.com or by writing to us at:

Privacy Officer
JD Supra, LLC
150 Harbor Drive, #2760
Sausalito, CA 94965

You can also manage your profile and subscriptions through our Privacy Center under the "My Account" dashboard.

We will make all practical efforts to respect your wishes. There may be times, however, where we are not able to fulfill your request, for example, if applicable law prohibits our compliance. Please note that JD Supra does not use "automatic decision making" or "profiling" as those terms are defined in the GDPR.

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California Privacy Rights

Pursuant to Section 1798.83 of the California Civil Code, our customers who are California residents have the right to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

You can make a request for this information by emailing us at privacy@jdsupra.com or by writing to us at:

Privacy Officer
JD Supra, LLC
150 Harbor Drive, #2760
Sausalito, CA 94965

Some browsers have incorporated a Do Not Track (DNT) feature. These features, when turned on, send a signal that you prefer that the website you are visiting not collect and use data regarding your online searching and browsing activities. As there is not yet a common understanding on how to interpret the DNT signal, we currently do not respond to DNT signals on our site.

Access/Correct/Update/Delete Personal Information

For non-EU/Swiss residents, if you would like to know what personal information we have about you, you can send an e-mail to privacy@jdsupra.com. We will be in contact with you (by mail or otherwise) to verify your identity and provide you the information you request. We will respond within 30 days to your request for access to your personal information. In some cases, we may not be able to remove your personal information, in which case we will let you know if we are unable to do so and why. If you would like to correct or update your personal information, you can manage your profile and subscriptions through our Privacy Center under the "My Account" dashboard. If you would like to delete your account or remove your information from our Website and Services, send an e-mail to privacy@jdsupra.com.

Changes in Our Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. Please refer to the date at the top of this page to determine when this Policy was last revised. Any changes to our Privacy Policy will become effective upon posting of the revised policy on the Website. By continuing to use our Website and Services following such changes, you will be deemed to have agreed to such changes.

Contacting JD Supra

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of this site, your dealings with our Website or Services, or if you would like to change any of the information you have provided to us, please contact us at: privacy@jdsupra.com.

JD Supra Cookie Guide

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How We Use Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to:

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JD Supra Cookies. We place our own cookies on your computer to track certain information about you while you are using our Website and Services. For example, we place a session cookie on your computer each time you visit our Website. We use these cookies to allow you to log-in to your subscriber account. In addition, through these cookies we are able to collect information about how you use the Website, including what browser you may be using, your IP address, and the URL address you came from upon visiting our Website and the URL you next visit (even if those URLs are not on our Website). We also utilize email web beacons to monitor whether our emails are being delivered and read. We also use these tools to help deliver reader analytics to our authors to give them insight into their readership and help them to improve their content, so that it is most useful for our users.

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Controlling and Deleting Cookies

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Updates to This Policy

We may update this cookie policy and our Privacy Policy from time-to-time, particularly as technology changes. You can always check this page for the latest version. We may also notify you of changes to our privacy policy by email.

Contacting JD Supra

If you have any questions about how we use cookies and other tracking technologies, please contact us at: privacy@jdsupra.com.

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