Re: copyright of map

On Thu, Jun 29, 2000, Mike Phillips <mfslaw[_at_]mailandnews.com> wrote:
>
> I have a client who spent a lot of money having a somewhat decorative
> map of the US drawn with HTML hot zones or image maps. A competitor
> has copied the map and is using it on its website. Can there be any
> degree of creativity in a map as to cause it to come under the
> Copyright statutes? If not, can you think of a way to stop the
> competitor from using the map?

In the recent update to USPQ there is a case on point that provides protection to even government maps (likely less creative). The cite is Suffolk v. Experian Information Solutions Inc., DC SNY, 5/15/00, p1924 (I take that to mean 54USPQ2d 1924)

Of course many will point out that this case deals more with issues of whether such government works are sufficiently original or should be public domain per se, but it is a good starting point since it is exactly the type of work you are concerned about.

Keith

Keith E. Taber
<keith[_at_]drylaw.com> Received on Thu Jul 06 2000 - 13:03:37 GMT