Klarinet Archive - Posting 001047.txt from 1997/11

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Public domain and copyrights
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 22:04:11 -0500

On Fri, 28 Nov 1997 Ebklar@-----.com wrote:

> According to my sources, the law is now 50 years for public domain, no matter
> how recent the edition (photocopying excluded). Verbal permission for
> anything is considered legally binding, but only from the legal executor of
> an estate or legal rep of a publisher.

This is inaccurate information. A composition may have been published and
had the 50 year law, followed by another renewal of 25 years. Copyright
varies depending upon when the intial and eventual renewal took place.

Secondly, verbal permission is not legally binding....primarily because
there is no proof that it took place but, on a more logical approach,
because verbal permission may not supercede the copyright laws already
existing.

Roger Garrett
IWU