Lessons from John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath: Copyright Terminations Under Sections 203 and 304 of the Copyright Act
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In 1976 and 1998 Congress extended the terms of copyright. Congress intended for authors to receive the full economic benefit of the extended copyright terms by granting authors and their heirs inalienable rights to recapture copyrights. These recaptured copyrights, vesting free of all prior grants, could then be re-licensed on economic terms favorable to authors. To protect authors families from disinheritances, late-life lovers or squabbles among over-reaching heirs, Congress preempted state inheritance law and created statutory heirs. Congress statutory scheme benefitting authors and their families has been threatened by recent decisions of the Second and Ninth Circuits that have generated a recent cert petition to the Supreme Court in Steinbeck v. Kaffaga over film rights to The Grapes of Wrath. Many copyright termination disputes are now pending. Join Ray Dowd in examining this fascinating case and learn why understanding the issues at stake and the mechanics of copyright terminations is important for all attorneys dealing with copyrights. Whether you are negotiating a license agreement or advising copyright owners and their heirs on estate planning, copyright termination is a hot issue. Raymond J. Dowd authored a brief in Steinbeck v. Kaffaga on behalf of amicus curiae the Authors Guild, the Dramatists Guild, the American Society of Journalists and Authors and former Register of Copyrights Ralph Oman.
Available in States
- California
- Georgia
- New Jersey
- New York
- Texas Self Study
Program Categories
- Administrative Law & Regulations
- Art Law
- Asset Protection
- Constitutional Law
- Copyright Law
- Corporate and Securities Law
- Estate Planning
- Estate Planning & Probate
- Family Law
- Federal Courts
- Intellectual Property Law
- Trademark Law
PROGRAM CREDITS
- Areas of Professional Practice : 1 Credit
