January 20, 2012 12:50 pm EDT

Supreme Court rules public domain isn't permanent, says Congress can re-copyright works

If you've been enjoying the fireworks over PIPA and SOPA these past weeks, get ready for more intellectual property ugliness. The US Supreme Court handed down a decision Wednesday granting Congress the power to restore copyright claims on works that have entered the public domain. The six to two decision (with only the conservative Samuel Alito and liberal Stephen Breyer dissenting) was issued primarily with an eye towards bringing the country in line with an international treaty known as the Berne Convention. The plaintiffs in the case included orchestra conductors, educators, performers and archivists who rely on public domain works such as Fritz Lang's Metropolis and compositions from Igor Stravinsky. Many orchestras, including that of lead plaintiff Lawrence Golan, will now be forced to stop performing works that are a regular part of their repertoire due to licensing fees. Hit up the more coverage link for the complete (PDF) decision.

Supreme Court rules public domain isn't permanent, says Congress can re-copyright works originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original Link: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/20/supreme-court-rules-public-domain-isnt-permanent-says-congress/

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