Re: copyright in designs

On Fri, May 12, 2000, Timothy Arnold-Moore <tja[_at_]io.mds.rmit.edu.au> wrote:
>
> On Thu, 04 May 2000, Stuart Gibson <s.gibson[_at_]cornwalls.com.au> wrote:
> >
> > I have a client, a graphics designer, who was requested by A to come
> > up with various materials for its inhouse excellence awards and in
> > 1997. A fee of $5000 was negotiated and my client organised not only
> > for the designs but also arranged for the printing etc.
> >
> > Then in 1998 A once again retained my client to vary her work and for
> > the same project and for a set fee.
> >
> > Finally in 1999 to my clients surprise she found that her work had
> > been adapted for A's awards without her authority.
> >
> > A says that it was always at liberty to use the work as it saw fit
> > at any stage in the future for purposes associated with the original
> > project or concept.
> >
> > As a final point there was no asignment in writing signed by my client.
> >
> > I'm interested to hear any thoughts?
>
> There is a recent case precisely on point (which I posted to this list
> earlier this year):
>
> http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/sasdec/0/20001/0/SD000050.htm
>
> Bottom line: your client is safe as houses.

Does anyone know off hand any US case authority that says the same thing? It seems pretty straightforward from the copyright statute.

-David Hale
 <dhale[_at_]aggt.com> Received on Tue May 16 2000 - 15:02:09 GMT