Copyright Law in Port St. Lucie, FL

The City of Port St. Lucie has many resources to offer its local entrepreneurs. There are programs available for any stage of development. Although this level of dedication is admirable, there are always facets of business that are up to you to vanguard.

Copyrights and trademarks are prime examples of this dynamic. But, you do not have to approach this crucial task without help. You can evaluate your needs and take action today by reading this article.

What Is Copyright Registration?

Copyright registration offers the author of a piece of work in Port St. Lucie, Florida 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 Port St. Lucie, FL 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 Port St. Lucie, FL business people and brand owners often trademark:

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

Companies from Port St. Lucie register their trademarks or service marks with the Division of Corporations. You must complete the PDF application and mail it to the government with a check for the fees. For instance, the costs for a corporation are the following:

• Filing Fee – $35

• Registered Agent Designation – $35

• Certified Copy – $8.75

• Certificate of Status – $8.75

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

Trademark applicants need to prepare for a process that takes over a year. According to the USPTO, some business leaders from Port St. Lucie will wait up to eighteen months. The most significant determiner is the filing basis you claim on the application. For instance, examining attorneys and other staff need to follow different approaches when:

• Using the trademark currently for your goods and services

• You have intentions of using the IP in future business operations

• Owning a foreign-issued mark

• You file using the Madrid Protocol

Meanwhile, the U.S. Copyright Office reports they have seen an immense increase in applications. At the time of writing, their registration specialists move through cases in roughly three months.

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

The value of your Port St. Lucie, FL 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 Port St. Lucie, Florida 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 Port St. Lucie, FL 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 Port St. Lucie, FL. 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 Port St. Lucie copyright attorneys  that can guide you through every step? We can even help you connect with an attorney across Florida 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!