ion on renewal of copyright and the copyright
term, request "Renewal of Copyright"
[http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ15.pdf] ; "Duration of
Copyright" [http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ15a.pdf]; and
"Extension of Copyright Terms"
[http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ15t.pdf].
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSFER OF COPYRIGHT
Any or all of the copyright owner's _*exclusive*_ rights or any
subdivision of those rights may be transferred, but the transfer of
exclusive rights is not valid unless that transfer is in writing and
signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or such owner's duly
authorized agent. Transfer of a right on a nonexclusive basis does not
require a written agreement.
A copyright may also be conveyed by operation of law and may be
bequeathed by will or pass as personal property by the applicable laws
of intestate succession.
Copyright is a personal property right, and it is subject to the various
state laws and regulations that govern the ownership, inheritance, or
transfer of personal property as well as terms of contracts or conduct
of business. For information about relevant state laws, consult an
attorney.
Transfers of copyright are normally made by contract. The Copyright
Office does not have any forms for such transfers. The law does provide
for the recordation in the Copyright Office of transfers of copyright
ownership. Although recordation is not required to make a valid transfer
between the parties, it does provide certain legal advantages and may be
required to validate the transfer as against third parties. For
information on recordation of transfers and other documents related to
copyright, request "Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents"
[http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ12.pdf].
Termination of Transfers
Under the previous law, the copyright in a work reverted to the author,
if living, or if the author was not living, to other specified
beneficiaries, provided a renewal claim was registered in the 28th year
of the original term.* The present law drops the renewal feature except
for works already in the first term of statutory protection when the
present law took effect. Instead, the present law permits termination of
a grant of rights after 35 years under certain conditions by serving
written notice on the transferee within specified time limits.
*The copyright in works eligible for renewal on or
|