Court Cases on Copyright

United States Supreme Court:

Topic: Copyright Duration
Eldred v. Ashcroft (formerly Eldred v. Reno)
Issue: Is the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act constitutional? Does congress have the power to keep extending the term of copyright?

Background: In 1998 Congress passed the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act which added another twenty years to works protected by copyright. Prior to this Act, works were generally protected for the life of the author plus fifty years. Corporate authors such as Disney had their copyright term extended from seventy-five years to ninety-five years.

Decision: On January 15, 2003, the Court ruled in a 7-2 decsion that the Sonny Bono Term Extension Act was not unconstitutional and that Congress acted within their power to extend the duration of copyright.

Legislation:

Technology Education and Copyright Harmonization Act of 2002. H.R. 22157
Status: On November 2, 2002, President Bush signed the TEACH Act into law. The new law takes effect immediately.
Purpose: The TEACH Act totally rewrites the distance education provision of the copyright law. It permits all types of materials to be used in distance education but with many restrictions and requirements. The intent of the new law is to equalize what takes place distance education with what takes place in a live classroom setting.