Re: Copyright in the Dead Sea Scrolls? How?

From: David Pierce <sunrise[_at_]dc.infi.net>
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 1996 20:08:01 -0500 (EST)

On Sat, 16 Mar 1996, David Swarbrick wrote:
>
> Paul Robinson <paul[_at_]tdr.com> writes:
> >
> > Paul Robinson wrote:
> > >
> > > Didn't any of the alleged shysters ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H lawyers on this
> > > list consider how serious a matter it would be to allow a plaintiff in a
> > > copyright case to sue someone outside of the jurisdiction where the
> > > incident occurred? If the alleged "infringement" - assuming there can be
> > > a copyright on a work which is several hundred or several thousand years
> > > old - occurred in the U.S., then that is the place where the suit should
> > > be founded.
> >
> > And don't completely discount copyright in the ancient document. A
> > number of countries extend copyright-like protection to ancient tribal
> > art. It does not seem at all unusual to me for Israel to also protect
> > such important historical documents in a similar fashion (if that is
> > what they have done).
>
> English law gives perpetual copyright to 'Peter Pan'
>
> --
> David Swarbrick, Solicitor | Just Mooting UK Law OLS
> Swarbrick & Co, Brighouse HD6 1RW | +44 (0)1484 401139 - Free Access
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> Off 01484 722531 Fax 01484 716617 | 'Law, Computers, a bit of common'

I would never intend to dismiss the literary value of 'Peter Pan,' but according to a February, 1988 article in _Variety_, the reasons behind the perpetual copyright were unique.

Author James M. Barrie bequeathed the copyright in 'Peter Pan' to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children upon his death in 1937. "Lady Callaghan, who is chairwoman of a group of trustees which administer funds bequeathed to the hospital," asked her husband, former Prime Minister James Callaghan to introduce the special amendment to the Copyright, Design and Patents bill in Parliament. "She especially is keen to secure the lucrative 'Peter Pan' payments since the hospital announced a L30,000,000 refurbishment program just before the copyright ran out."

This term extension certainly provides a greater public benefit than would result from the 'life plus 70' bills currently under consideration in the US Congress.

David Pierce

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|          David Pierce                                           |
|          P.O. Box 2748        fax: 301-604-6827                 |
|          Laurel, MD 20709     sunrise[_at_]dc.infi.net               |

+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ Received on Tue Mar 19 1996 - 01:09:10 GMT