How illegal is exerpting language from copyrighted forms?
I created a form agreement from scratch but used several sources (some copyright and a free form suggested by the state). I do not want to be accused of violating someone's copyright, so I was very conscious about designing my own form and changing the language for my own specific usage. However, I noticed that several of the copyrighted and non-copyrighted forms used similar or the exact same language. I doubt anyone could identify which form(s) I stole the language from. However, how worried should be I about being sued for copyright violation? Is it very common? Could combining a form from various copyrighted and non-copyrighted sources be considered an original work?
BigD2008-01-07T11:17:44Z
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This is tricky... i believe that legal language cannot be copyrighted. so if you are borrowing from a legal form, i think you are ok
Copyright exist in literary, artistic, musical and cinematographic works. It may please be understood that copyright is very technical subject. It is not copy writing as many think. In order to allege infringement or passing off the work must be original. It must have some literary value. But this must not be taken strictly. Because literary may not mean it must appeal to ones aesthetics. A work may not appeal to aesthetics but it can yet be literary. For instance a form designed by one. The author can claim ownership in design if it is identical or identically similar. Yet the contents of the form even though conveying the same meaning but expressed in different way or style or emphasized in different order of priority will be entitled to independent protection from the one where the idea has been derived but differently put. It appears that you have given your own style expressed in different manner and given your own priority. In my humble view as an IP and contract lawyer your work cannot be termed as infringement but an original work.
Copyright violation is very serious and you can be sued. Intellectual property theft is NOT be taken lightly. Create your own work and you won't have to worry about jail or lawsuits. Why do you want to STEAL another person's intellectual property? Think about it. How would you feel if you found your work on a website, blog, etc?
No, i imagine it is extra alongside the line of sharecroppers. After the Civil warfare the freed slaves that stayed interior the South were taken income of by technique of plantation proprietors. They knew the freed slaves were undesirable and desperately mandatory artwork and money. so as that they were employed as sharecroppers on those plantations. they'd typically live to tell the tale or close to the plantations/farms. they'd then artwork on those farms which gave them preserve and little or no money. The sharecroppers would borrow money from the plantation proprietors for the crop seed and for kit. they'd plant, have a tendency, and %. all the plant life on the plantation(clone of the slaves) yet on the suitable of the crop season they'd ought to pay back the plantation proprietors and save what money they'd left. although, for the duration of a nasty crop season, the sharecroppers couldn't pay back the money and could be in debt to the plantation proprietor. this will be a continuous cycle because it changed into complicated for the households to artwork off the debt and pay back the money from the present season. they'd typically fall right into a hollow of debt that changed into no longer obtainable to dig out of. The households couldn't go away until eventually they paid all expenses. They were manipulated by technique of the plantation proprietor. So now he were given loose artwork that changed into technically criminal as they were paid......they'd in basic terms ought to pay it back to the plantation proprietor to pay off some debt. i recognize i rambeled slightly, yet back to the unique element. The unlawful immigrants are being manipulated by technique of the human beings who employed them. it is low priced artwork, and the employees can artwork lengthy hours for little pay. Now do not get me incorrect, unlawful immigrants scouse borrow jobs from individuals. My stepdad lost many job opportunities to unlawful immigrants. yet that still would not make it precise. it isn't slavery because they're being manipulated no longer compelled to artwork. The slaves were compelled to artwork.