Copyright Law
Professor Susan M. Richey
Fall 1999-Final Exam
General Instructions: This exam has three sections-a multiple choice section, worth 24 points, a short answer section, worth 32 points, and a short essay section, worth 14 points. The exam is open-book and you may take any written material that you wish into the exam with you. Do not work with any of your classmates during the exam. All statutory references are to the 1976 Copyright Act unless otherwise indicated. You have three hours to complete the exam unless otherwise stated by the proctor.
Section I
Fact situation for Questions 1 and 2
JoJo is a popular mime who specializes in live performances oil the streets of San
Francisco. Because she does not employ speech or music of ally type, JoJo's performances are silent and limited to movement. Jojo's
performances are spontaneous and are not choreographed beforehand. Early this year, one of JoJo's performances was captured on
videotape and, shortly thereafter, the video was transmitted, using digital
technology, over the Internet. The Shays, owners of a web page devoted to performance art, were responsible for the Internet
transmission but they did not obtain JoJo's consent for the transmission nor did they compensate her for her performance in any way.
1.
(2 pts.) Assume for purposes of this question only that JoJo authorized the videotaping of her live performance. When she learned of
the uauthorized transmission of the video over the Internet, JoJo sued the Shays for federal copyright infringement. In the lawsuit, JoJo is
likely:
(a) to lose because her performance constitutes a general publication divesting JoJo of all copyright rights and injecting her
performance into the public domain
(b) to lose because the lawsuit is preempted under § 301.
(c) to prevail because a public performance of a work does not constitute publication.
(d) to prevail because her § 106(4) right has been infringed.
(e) to prevail because her § 106(6) right has been infringed
2.
(2 pts.) Assume for purposes of this question only that the Shays videotaped JoJo's live performance without her authorization. When
she learned of the unauthorized videotaping and transmission, JoJo sued the Shays. What theory of liability should she pursue?
(a) state common law copyright infringement.
(b) federal copyright infringement.
(c) infringement of JoJo's rights under Chapter 10 of the 1970 Act.
(d) infringement of JoJo's rights under the Visual Artists Rights Act.
(e) infringement of JoJo's rights under Chapter I I of the 1970 Act.
3.
(2 pts.) What provision of the 1976 Act replaced the 1909 Act's dual system of federal and state copyright protection, whose
dividing line was publication, with a single system of federal protection for all published and unpublished works?
(a) § 101
(b) § 104
(c) § 301
(d) § 408
(e) none of the above.
4.
(2 pts.) In 1990, Baron von Souffle a New Orleans food critic of some renown, completed an autobiography entitled The Gastronome's
Guide to Gluttony, detailing his struggle with obesity. Hollywood sensed a hit and several movie studios clamored for the right to adapt
the novel to the cinema. At a lunch meeting with representatives of Warmer Brothers Studios (WBS), the Baron orally agreed to grant
WBS an exclusive license of the exclusive right of adaptation. Although Warmer Brothers promptly forwarded a written license
agreement for his signature, the Baron decided to cloister himself in a monastery in an effort to lose weight, leaving the document behind
unsigned. Assume that WBS released a movie of the Baron's calorie-ridden life in 1992, without the signed document in hand, relying on
the theory that it held an exclusive license from the Baron nevertheless. Under that theory:
(a) the movie would not be an infringement of the Baron's novel because written contracts are not generally required in the movie
industry.
(b) the movie would not be an infringement of the Baron's novel because the agreement between the Baron and WBS had been put into
writing by WBS.
(c) the movie would not be an infringement of the Baron's novel because an exclusive license is not a transfer.
(d) the movie would be an infringement of the Baron's novel because the exclusive rights enumerated in § 106 are not divisible and may
only be transferred as a unitary whole.
(e) the movie would be an infringement of the Baron's novel because an exclusive license must be in writing and signed by the copyright
owner.
5.
(2 pts.) While in the monastery referred to above, the Baron entertained himself by reading cookbooks and soon became a devotee of
Dom DeLuise, an overweight actor and author of numerous cookbooks. Immediately upon returning from the monastery in 1994, the
Baron contacted DeLuise to arrange collaboration on a cookbook featuring fat-free meals, with various inspirational stories of weight loss
interspersed between recipes. The Baron acted as an editor for DeLuise, suggesting recipes, revising drafts of the weight loss stories, and
generally providing helpful hints. The collaboration came to a halt when the Baron insisted that he be designated a co-author and DeLuise
denied that a joint work had ever been intended. Under the test set forth in Childress v. Taylor, it is likely that:
(a) the Baron and DeLuise are co-authors of the cookbook because both have written books previously.
(b) only DeLuise is an author of the cookbook because the Baron's contributions were minimal and DeLuise did not have the intent to be a
co-author.
(c) the Baron-and DeLuise are co-authors of the cookbook because the Baron's contributions, although minimal, were copyrightable and
the Baron had the requisite intent.
(d) only DeLuise is an author of the cookbook because the cookbook does not fall into one of the categories of works listed in § 101 as a
qualifying speciallycommissioned work for hire.
(e) only the Baron is an author of the cookbook because the cookbook is a compilation which is one of the categories of works listed in §
10 1 as a qualifying specially-commissioned work for hire.
Fact situation for Questions 6 and 7
Harvey Lemo, an aspiring motion picture producer and director, created his first film in 1995, detailing the adventures of an office
"Lothario" who engaged in a string of love affairs with his co-workers. That same year, Lemo obtained a U. S. federal copyright
registration for the film. Unfortunately, Lemo had difficulty finding a distributor for the film because most distributors were not willing to
take a chance on marketing the work of a relatively unknown producer/director. In 1997, in order to remain financially solvent while he
searched for a distributor, Lemo granted a non-exclusive license of the right of adaptation to a corporation that wanted to revise the film
for use as a training tool for its employees, on the perils of sexual harassment. The following year, Lemo located a distributor and, as part
of the deal, he assigned all copyright rights in the film to the distributor.
6.
(2 pts.) Assume that the non-exclusive license was in writing and signed by Lemo, but the license was never recorded in the
Copyright Office. Assume further that the distributor recorded the written assignment as soon as Lemo signed it in 1998. In the conflict
between the non-exclusive license and the assignment:
(a) the assignment prevails because it is a transfer as that term is defined in § 10 1 and the non-exclusive license is not a transfer.
(b) the assignment prevails because it has been recorded and the non-exclusive license has not been recorded.
(c) the assignment prevails because all the exclusive rights were transferred in the assignment, not simply the right of adaptation.
(d) the non-exclusive license prevails because the assignment was not exchanged for valuable consideration.
(e) the non-exclusive license prevails because it is a written license signed by Lei-no and the license was taken before execution of the
transfer.
7.
(2 pts.) Assume for purposes of this question only that the corporation decided to record its non-exclusive license in 1997. In order to
take advantage of the constructive notice provisions of the 1976 Act, the corporation would have had to:
(a) list all other licenses that the corporation holds in the document to be recorded.
(b) include a mandatory deposit of two copies of the best edition of the training film along with the document to be recorded.
(c) specifically identify the work to which the non-exclusive license pertains so that the document to be recorded will be revealed by a reasonable search.
(d) submit a declaration along with the document to be recorded, stating that the corporation has made a reasonable attempt-to affix proper copyright notice to all copies of the training film.
(e) submit a list all officers of the corporation along with the document to be recorded.
8.
(2 pts.) Performing rights societies, such as ASCAP and BMI, are organizations that administer licensing of the non-dramatic
performances of the type of works designated in which provision?
(a) § 102(a)(1)
(b) § 102(a)(2)
(c) § 102(a)(4)
(d) § 102(a)(6)
(e) § 102(a)(7)
Fact situation for Questions 9 and 10
Loma Sweet is an accomplished lyricist and composer who wrote a song in 1998 that was destined to become immensely popular, entitled
"Who's Afraid of the Millennium Bug?" First released at the beginning of the next year in the United States in an authorized recording by
popular vocalist, Randy Newman, the song soon rose to the top of the charts and was played nonstop by radio stations throughout the
world as the year 2000 approached.
9.
(2 pts.) On December 1, 1999, the Seattle grunge group known as Gimmeabreak released a new recording of the song featuring an
arrangement that conformed to their own style of performance although the arrangement did not change the fundamental melody or lyrics
of the musical work. Gimmeabreak's recording is:
(a) not an infringement of Sweet's work if Gimmeabreak if the group follows the procedures set out in § 115.
(b) not an infringement of Newman's work because Newman's work is subject to a mechanical license.
(c) not an infringement of Sweet's work because Gimmeabreak's new arrangement created a derivative work.
(d) an infringement of Sweet's work because no license was negotiated between the parties that would cover Gimmeabreak's recording.
(e) an infringement of Newman's work because Gimmeabreak's new arrangement created a derivative work.
Section II
13. (6 pts.) Gerald Xiu is a famous
sculptor who has been commissioned to create a bas relief to be installed in a
new office building constructed for Intel Corporation two years ago in San Jose,
California. When completed, the bas relief
(a type of sculpture characterized by raised figures
on a flat surface) will comprise the interior lobby wall facing the entrance to
the building. As counsel for Intel Corp., identify two types of provisions,
either one of which you could and should consider including in the agreement
between your client as owner of the building and Xiu as author of the work, to
address any future removal of the work from the building.
14.
(4 pts.) Identify the statutory section that codifies the fundamental distinction in copyright law between ownership of the material
object and ownership of the copyright.
Despite that distinction, an owner of a piece of fine art, who does not own any of the exclusive rights in the bundle of copyright rights,
may publicly display the art object without liability for infringement. What statutory section and subsection authorizes such public
display?
15.
(6 pts.) List three reasons why federal registration of copyright, a formality not required in the United States since its accession to the
Beme Convention, remains a good idea for the copyright owner of a U. S. work:
Fact situation for Questions 16
and 17
Adrienne Ryan is a well-known portraitist and has exhibited her work in some of the better-known art galleries in the
United States and abroad. One of her most recent works, a painting of Nancy Reagan, completed in 1986, was
commissioned by the Smithsonian Museum for inclusion in its collection entitled First Ladies of the United States. Ryan
signed the Smithsonian's form agreement stating that the painting was a work for hire. The picture was exhibited publicly
by the Smithsonian with the appropriate copyright notice, beginning in 1986. Assume that Ryan will die in the year 2005
and that the Smithsonian will never sell or offer to sell the painting.
16.
(6 pts.) In what year will the copyright term for the painting expire? In order to answer this question, you must first
decide if the painting is in fact a work for hire.
17.
(2 pts.) In 1992, a political activist, Jonathan Gage, broke into the Smithsonian and painted a wizard's cap on Mrs.
Reagan's head in the painting. The cap was meant to be a satirical comment on reports that Mrs. Reagan had been
consulting an astrologist for guidance regarding the day-to-day activities of her husband, Ronald Reagan, during his
tenure as President of the United States. Ryan immediately filed suit against Gage for violation of her § 106A rights of
attribution and integrity in the painting. What is the biggest obstacle to her ability to establish a prima facie case? Do not
focus on any obstacle you perceive Ryan may have in winning the case, rather on the difficulty she will have
in initially pleading her case.
18.
(4 pts.) Assume that you represent a licensor of copyright rights in a license negotiation. What type of clause should
you seek to have included in the license in order to ensure that your client does not unintentionally transfer rights that it
wants to preserve for its own exploitation?
Assume now that you represent the licensee in the negotiation. What type of clause should you seek to have included in
order to ensure that your client will be able to exploit the licensed rights in any new media that is developed after
execution of the license?
19. (4 pts.)
Generally, what conduct triggers the mandatory deposit requirement codified in §
407?
Section III
20. (14 pts.) On
November 5, 1999, the Eleventh Circuit reversed and remanded the
district court's grant of summary judgment in Estate of Mat-lin Luther King
v. CBS, Inc.,
to the district court for a trial on the merits. In its
opinion, the Eleventh Circuit declined
to address
CBS's
arguments that its production and airing of a video documentary that
used, without authorization,
portions of Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech,
was protected by fair use and the
First Amendment. The appellate court did not address
these defenses because the lower
court had not addressed them in its decision on the
summary judgment motion.
Assume that, upon remand, the lower court holds a bench trial
on the merits and
determines that the speech, as performed by Dr. King, is
protected by federal copyright
law, i.e., it was not in the public domain when used by
CBS.
Assume further that CBS
literally copied those portions of
the speech that it used in the documentary. How should
the court hold with regard to
CBS's
defenses of fair use and the First Amendment and
why?
(Please
specifically address whether or not the Son y presumption should apply.)
You may wish to refer to the following recitations of undisputed facts from the
opinions of the appellate court, the district court, and the appellate court, respectively:
"The facts underlying this case form part of our national heritage and are well-known to many Americans. On the afternoon of August
28, 1963, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference ("SCLC") held the March on Washington ("March") to promote the growing civil
rights movement. The events of the day were seen and heard by some 200,000 people gathered at the March, and were broadcast live
via radio and television to a nationwide audience of millions of viewers. The highlight of the March was a rousing speech that Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., the SCLC's founder and president, gave in front of the Lincoln Memorial ("Speech"). The Speech contained the famous
utterance, 'I have a dream . . . ' which became symbolic of the civil rights movement."
"In 1994, CBS signed a contract with Arts & Entertainment Network ("A & E") to produce an historical documentary series entitled 'The
2
0th
Century With Mike Wallace.' The documentary was broadcast and sold as a box set by A & E. One segment was dedicated to
'Martin Luther King, Jr. and The March on Washington.' Much of the episode contained material filmed by
CBS
during the March,
including footage of the speech as it was delivered that day before some 200,000 people. Approximately 60% of Dr. King's speech was
included verbatim in the episode. Dr. King's words are heard while a photo and video montage show scenes of the crowd, of Dr. King
delivering his speech, and of various instances of discrimination leading up to the civil rights movement. The majority of the episode
contains CBS's footage of other speeches and events during the civil rights movement, modem interviews discussing the historical impact
of certain events, and narration by Mike Wallace."
"CBS,
however, did not seek the Estate's permission to use the Speech in this manner and refused to pay royalties to the Estate."
* * * END OF EXAM * * *