Two recent copyright infringement disputes involved the rare intersection of intellectual property with real property.
In the first, the Ontario Court of Appeal determined who owned copyright in land surveys deposited with...more
A single product can, in some circumstances, attract more than one form of intellectual property (IP) protection. For example, if functioning as an indicator of source, a product itself can attract trademark protection while...more
Some defendants have the mistaken belief that court deadlines are inherently flexible, and that even a default judgment can be set aside with a simple “mea culpa”. Not so. Without a reasonable explanation—and proof supporting...more
The Supreme Court of Canada recently confirmed the availability of a novel form of worldwide injunction whereby Google, a non-party to the litigation, was required to block worldwide access to websites operated by a...more
7/31/2017
/ Canada ,
Communications Decency Act ,
Copyright ,
Copyright Infringement ,
Cross-Border ,
First Amendment ,
Google ,
Injunctions ,
Offensive Language ,
Search Engines ,
Social Networks ,
Supreme Court of Canada ,
Trade Secrets ,
Trademarks
The fair dealing user right, as an exception to copyright infringement, has its limits. The fact that a use falls within an enumerated purpose under the Copyright Act is no guarantee of immunity from infringement. To avoid...more
A joke does not work if it needs to be explained. While some complaint and parody websites may constitute fair dealing, close copying of trademarks and copyrighted works, combined with mean-spirited commentary, will not fly....more
In Canada, the losing party pays the winner’s litigation costs. For years, costs awards were assessed in accordance with a tariff and were generally inadequate. The Federal Court's recent trend in awarding lump sum costs...more
Although it happens all the time, reproducing photographs found on the internet for use in business is fraught with risk. Businesses should only copy images where there is clear permission to use them—or face a substantial...more