[MR] One step too far! (Duane Moore)

[Anthony Bryant]

On Jul 24, 2009, at 1:31 PM, Garth G. Groff wrote:

> Friends,
>
> Allow me to add my own experience to this. A number of years ago I  
> self-published a small local history book and sent copies for review  
> to several local newspapers. One refused a review, but used quotes  
> from my book in a review promoting somebody else's book about the  
> same area (different aspect though). My book was copyrighted and  
> registered. I checked with a copyright lawyer, and he thought I had  
> a case, but told me a copyright violation is a Federal matter. I  
> could only sue for actual damages, which were minimal and  
> unprovable. He also pointed out that the case would have to be heard  
> in regular Federal court, as there is no Federal small claims court.  
> Any judge who had to take time for such a trivial matter would not  
> be pleased to have his time wasted when he had more important  
> criminal cases on his docket. I think this shirt would probably fall  
> into a similar category.


On the contrary -- I don't think an article in a local newspaper is  
the equivalent of mass-produced T-shirts being sold in a nation-wide  
chain of a major department store.



Effingham