Common Questions: Can I Copyright My ‘Knight in Shining Armor’ Story?

The short answer is – perhaps, at least parts of it.  Copyright law protects “original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression.”  17 U.S.C. § 102.  This protection attaches from the moment at which the expression is recorded – in other words, from the moment the pen hits the paper.  While fictional […]

Update – Unauthorized Sequel to Catcher in the Rye Permanently Enjoined, by Agreement

In a prior series of posts (see “fictional characters” category), I wrote about a so-called unauthorized sequel to J.D. Salinger’s classic Catcher in the Rye that the trial court ordered enjoined from publication. The publisher took the case on appeal, and the appellate court overturned that decision, ruling that the injunction could remain in place […]