Copyright protection for fictional characters

[lynnmosher 7,685]

Sidebar Saturdays starts out the article on copyright for fictional characters with an infringement case of Sherlock Holmes.

[carolinamtne 4,532]

Verrrry interesting.

 

So are the Enola Holmes Myteries still being printed and sold?

 

And the answer is yes. So they obviously worked something out.

Edited January 18 by carolinamtne

[lynnmosher 7,685]

Yes, I thought it was very interesting as well. And I think they did have an agreement of some sort.

[suspensewriter 5,241]

No, I guess this lawsuit is still going on.

[lynnmosher 7,685]

SW, the article stated: The case was settled before the issues could be litigated.

[suspensewriter 5,241]

Ah-- I missed that, Lynn!  I wonder how much it was settled for?

[lynnmosher 7,685]

19 hours ago, suspensewriter said:

I wonder how much it was settled for?

 

I goggled it and found that both sides agreed to dismissal, saying, "Now that the lawsuit has been settled, it's still unclear whether the film did infringe on copyrighted material." So who knows what or if there was a monetary settlement. ???

[suspensewriter 5,241]

I'll be darned.  What kind of a lawsuit was that, then?

[lynnmosher 7,685]

Yeah. Doesn't help writers at all not having a judgment.

[suspensewriter 5,241]

Right!

[JosiAtara 121]

It's very interesting, and something I never quite put together-that the copyright of the first book ends before copyright of the second? Instead of having to wait until the LAST book's copyright expires, it's the first. Or did I misunderstand that?

 

Because in that case... Why can you write about a character even while he's still technically in copywrite-land, in a way, but you can't include his character arc? Either way, it's still the character, right?

[lynnmosher 7,685]

No, copyrights expire this way: "As a general rule, for works created after January 1, 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years."

[Grey_Skies 166]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[lynnmosher 7,685]

You're welcome.