Maryland Copyright Lawyer: What Cannot Be Copyrighted?

The list of items that we cannot copyright is long but I’ll list a few here that folks often think they can copyright but they cannot.

Facts cannot be copyrighted. If you are writing a explanation of how people play the game of baseball you don’t need to get permission from Major League Baseball or other references you use to research the information. You will need to put the explanation in your own unique words, and not merely repeat what you’ve read from another source.

Material in the public domain cannot be copyrighted. If you want to quote work in the public domain you don’t have to worry about rights (with some exceptions) because the material is not under copyright. Most of what the U.S. government publishes is not under copyright and thus can be reprinted (again there are some exceptions).

You are not required to give notice as to the source of the information so long as the info is within the public domain. That said, you may need assistance from an attorney to determine if the material is in-fact in the public domain.

For a confidential conversation to discuss these and other intellectual property law matters, contact Maryland attorney Stephen J. Reichert at 410-299-4959, sreichert@reichertlegal.com or by clicking here.

Day, evening and weekend appointments are available in office or at your residence. Mr. Reichert personally serves clients in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Carroll County, Harford County, Frederick County, Montgomery County and throughout most of the state of Maryland.