The
Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2017 or CASE Act is supported by visual artists associations like the Graphic Artists Guild. The CASE Act would help indie artist fight against art theft.
This Act would provide a small claims tribunal process for indie artists to enforce their intellectual property rights. It's based on a small claims tribunal process that has been successful in the UK in fighting art theft.
Here's some info on the act from the Graphic Artists Guild website:
https://graphicartistsguild.org/news/the-guild-supports-the-copyright-alternative-in-small-claims-enforcement-ac
The Guild Supports the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act
Posted by Rebecca Blake on October 05, 2017
The Graphic Artists Guild welcomes the introduction of HR 3945, the
Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2017 or CASE Act. The Act was introduced by Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Tom Marino (R-PA) and is co-sponsored by Doug Collins (R-GA), Lamar Smith (R-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), and Ted Lieu (D-CA). The CASE Act seeks to establish a small copyright claims tribunal within the Copyright Office. Copyright holders could present claims with potential damages of $30,000 or less in a low-cost, simplified process.
Bringing an infringement lawsuit in federal court is prohibitively expensive for most individual creators, and many lawyers are reluctant to take on cases with potential awards less than $30,000. Additionally, infringers capitalize on the failure of most individual copyright holders to register their work, as well as their limited resources to pursue a lengthy and costly lawsuit. The procedure proposed in CASE would provide individual rights holders a voluntary and affordable means to enforce their rights.
Working with a coalition of visual artists associations, the Guild has long advocated for a small copyright claims tribunal. The coalition, whose members include the American Photographic Artists (APA), American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), Digital Media Licensing Association (DMLA), National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) and Professional Photographers of America (PPA), issued a
press release in support of the CASE Act. The Guild is also encouraging graphic artists and other creators to
contact their Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor the bill.
Below is link from PetaPixel.com with video "Understanding the need for a Copyright Small Claims System"
https://petapixel.com/2017/10/05/house-bill-introduced-copyright-small-claims/
Link for the CASE Act bill
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3945
The Graphic Artists Guild (GAG) is urging a call to action on the CASE Act.
From the GAG Facebook page:
"On January 17, take action for copyright reform! H.R. 3945, the CASE Act. While the Act has had wide bipartisan support we need a show of grassroots support to get Congress to move the bill forward. On January 17, we’re asking as many people as possible to contact their Representatives. Let's make a splash!
Take 5 minutes to contact your Representative –– ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 3945, the CASE Act. Go to
copyrightdefense.com/action – in one cl
ick, you’ll get the contact information for your Representative and messaging you can use to show your support.
The CASE Act calls for the establishment of a small claims tribunal to which individual creators can bring copyright claims valued at $30,000 or less. This new tribunal would provide an easy, inexpensive, and streamlined process for small copyright claim holders."
Fight Art Theft. Share this info. Take action against counterfeiters and copyright infringers.
Button/image below from Professional Photographers of America (PPA)
https://www.ppa.com/
More on Fighting Art Theft and case studies...
http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2016/09/combat-art-theft-case-studies-and.html
Info graphic below by Lili Chin, Doggie Drawings.
https://www.doggiedrawings.net/copyright-101
