Annual Report 2002: Recordation
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Annual Report 2002: Recordation |
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The Copyright Office creates public records of documents relating to a copyright, a mask work, or a vessel hull design that are submitted for recordation. These documents frequently involve intellectual properties of high economic value. One type of document is security interests, where one or more copyrights may serve as collateral for the creation of another work, as in the case of mortgage rights in existing motion pictures used to finance a new motion picture. The majority of documents submitted for recordation involve transfers of rights from one copyright owner to another. The transfer of exclusive rights is not valid unless that transfer is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or by such owner’s duly authorized agent. Other recorded documents include contracts between authors and publishers, notices of termination, and notices of intent to enforce a restored copyright.
The Documents Recordation Section received 12,600 documents for recordation and cleared 10,506, covering nearly 218,000 titles or works. |