Re: R.M.S. Titanic

On Tue, 24 Mar 1998, Emil Pellicer <epellicer[_at_]colby-monet.com> wrote:
>
> On 98-03-23, Vance R. Koven <vrkoven[_at_]world.std.com> wrote:
> >
> > On a further related note, I am curious how the US court felt it had
> > the right to prohibit anyone from photographing anything.
>
> I too am curious. Is there a provision in US copyright law which would
> allow a court to make such a ruling and if so on what basis? Could the
> ruling be based on the entity claiming intellectual property rights
> being the assignee of the the ship's plans? Are they somehow basing
> their exclusive right to photograph the Titanic on trade mark law (a la
> Rock and Roll Hall of Fame building case?) Is there perhaps some archaic
> maritme law rule that allows for this?

I would think the rationale of the recent US SUpreme Court decision involving a Michigan court's barring of an expert witness from testifying in other cases in other states would have a great deal of relevance. (Sorry can't find the correct site, but it is this term and involves General motors)

A specific federal statute would have to be involved I would think.

Harold Federow
<hfederow[_at_]u.washington.edu> Received on Wed Mar 25 1998 - 19:30:30 GMT