Intellectual Property Rights
Intellectual Property is a broad term applied to intangible creative works of both a commercial and artistic nature, often covered by the laws of copyright, trademark, and patenting. These works can include, but are by no means limited to:
- Musical compositions
- Literary and artistic productions
- Signs, symbols and words
- Discoveries and new ideas
Intellectual property rights are at the heart of some of the most hotly debated legal topics in the country. Illegal downloading of music, for example, falls into this category of litigation, as do issues surrounding new technology and the sharing of computer code.
Copyright, Trademarks, and Patents
While closely related, several important differences exist between the ideas of copyright, trademark, and patents.
- Copyrights are designed to protect a particular form of expression, but not the subject matter of that expression. A good example would be song lyrics.
- A Trademark exists to commercially associate a word, phrase or symbol with its particular source. An example of this might be a band’s name.
- Patents grant inventors exclusive ownership of their designs for a limited period.
Contact Us
Within all the categories of intellectual property, confusion often arises over what is legally covered and what is not. If you have been accused of violating intellectual property rights, or believe you are a victim of this type of violation, the San Jose criminal lawyers at the [firm-name] can help you explore your options. Contact us today at [phone-number] for more information on this complex subject from an experienced San Jose criminal defense attorney.
