Copyright Law in Houston, TX

It’s not uncommon for Houston entrepreneurs to have someone infringe upon your intellectual property. This could be unintentional, or deliberate, but either way it could bring monetary damage if someone is illegally using your property. To protect yourself, and your work, you may want to seek the expertise of an experienced copyright attorney in Houston.

What Is Copyright Registration?

Copyright registration offers the author of a piece of work in Houston, Texas 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 Houston, TX 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 Houston, TX business people and brand owners often trademark:

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

Houston area artists can research existing trademarks, as well as other trademark and copyright information, by using the Texas Music Office. This resource provides online tracking, fast processing and uploading times, and secure payment options. You’ll need to pay a filing fee of $55 when filing your trademark application. They also provide online forms and applications to simplify the process.

Registering your trademark requires you to show examples of having used the mark in association with your business, whether you provide goods or services. Fliers, masthead, letterhead, business cards, and even advertisements are appropriate sources for these examples.

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

The University of Texas states that a Houston resident seeking to protect his or her own intellectual property with a trademark can face a lengthy wait time. While you should keep using the mark in association with your business, it can be a full 18 months before you receive your official trademark. In addition, this timeframe can be lengthened by mistakes or errors in your application. To prevent this, you may want to engage the services of an experienced Houston copyright attorney.

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

The value of your Houston, TX 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 Houston, Texas 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 Houston, TX 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 Houston, TX. 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 Houston copyright attorneys  that can guide you through every step? We can even help you connect with an attorney across Texas 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!