Copyright Law in Greenville, SC

Greenville creatives deserve the full credit for the intellectual property and inventions they bring to market. It is not uncommon for another individual or business entity to use your designs. Whether it be by mistake or in an attempt to lure business away from you. To protect your work, and protect yourself from monetary damage, you may want to consult with an experienced Greenville copyright attorney. He or she can help you protect your intellectual property and get the credit you deserve.

What Is Copyright Registration?

Copyright registration offers the author of a piece of work in Greenville, South Carolina some protection from those who try to steal their idea.

A novel creation receives copyright protection when it becomes fixed into a tangible form. Copyright law dictates how to establish this ownership. Additionally, it explains how to register intellectual property or defend against infringement.

Copyright registration is a type of public record for ownership. A piece of work doesn’t require copyright registration for protection under the US copyright law. However, you should register your product in Greenville, SC with the help of a copyright lawyer, as this can offer you several unique advantages:

• Protects your work against the importation of copies that infringe the registration. Your registration will be recorded with the United States Customs and Border Protection.
• If your work is already registered in the United States, you can proceed with an infringement lawsuit; otherwise, you will have to register it first.
• The IP owner can seek damages and attorney fees if a copyright registration happens within three months of publication (or prior to an infringement claim).
• If a copyrighted work becomes registered outside of the three-month time frame, you may seek actual damages that you lost.
• Copyright registration will identify each public record of its existence. This action puts the copyright protection into public notice for the piece of work that you’ve created and/or own.

What Is a Trademark?

A trademark is a word, symbol, design, or phrase that distinguishes you from another company. Service marks are a type of trademark that a company will use when providing services to the public. Technically, trademarks are a form of intellectual property. It also forms part of the company’s brand, even if they no longer use it.

Here are some of the components that established Greenville, SC business people and brand owners often trademark:

• Logos
• Symbols
• Product packages
• Name of the business
• Name of the product or service
• Designs

Residents of Greenville seeking to apply for a trademark for their goods or services are required to file with the Office of the Secretary of State of South Carolina. Your application must contain certain information, or it will be automatically denied. You will have to sign the application, as well as pay the filing fee. You’ll also be required to provide samples of the mark being used in conjunction with your goods or services.

If your mark is not eligible for registration you will have 15 days to amend the mark and resubmit. If you fail to amend your application and resubmit, the application will be considered null and you will forfeit your filing fee. You may want to seek the counsel of an experienced Greenville copyright attorney so you can avoid this possibility.

How Long Does It Take to Register a Trademark and Copyright?

The University of South Carolina encourages you to file a complaint if you believe your trademark has been infringed upon. The best way to do this may be to contact an experienced Greenville copyright attorney.

Depending upon where you intend to use your trademark, either at the state or national level, it can take anywhere from 4 to 18 months for you to receive protection. However, this protection is well worth the wait. Able South Carolina states that the company has filed a trademark infringement suit against the South Carolina State Treasurer. The non-profit alleges in their suit that the Treasury Office’s use of the wording “South Carolina Able” is intentionally confusing to the populace.

What’s the Difference Between a Trademark and a Copyright?

The value of your Greenville, SC business depends on the assets it owns. It’s important to note that the most valuable assets are not always physical or financial. Your intellectual property counts as assets too. Due to this, if people use those assets without your permission, you can file a lawsuit for infringement.

While trademarks and copyrights protect intellectual property, they cover two different aspects. Copyright registration protects artistic and literary works, such as videos and books. A trademark registration protects brand components. This can be a jingle, a logo, or a mascot of your organization.

Take, for example, if you own a magazine publishing company. You would trademark the logo and the name of your company. However, you would also place copyright protection on all the magazines that you have published.

Work With an Experienced Greenville, South Carolina Copyright Lawyer

Do you have an idea that needs protection under intellectual property law? If so, complete the registration process as soon as possible. There is always the risk that someone else might beat you to it. This eventuality can create complications when the time comes to defend IP rights claims.

An experienced Greenville, SC copyright lawyer can help you uncover if anyone else has registered a similar idea. If your concept closely resembles another, it might get rejected. Consequently, it is better to find this early than to go through the process only to get denied later. In addition, an intellectual property lawyer will help you to draft critical documents. Or, they can determine the value of the intellectual property that you own.

An intellectual property lawyer also assesses the quality of the assets. They will also look at the number of assets licensed under your name or your business in Greenville, SC. This evaluation can help to maximize the entire value of all intangible assets that your company has.

Are you ready to tap into our network of Greenville copyright attorneys  that can guide you through every step? We can even help you connect with an attorney across South Carolina state lines. 

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!