Ideas and Expressions: The Fundamentals of Copyright Law

With its roots in Article I of the U.S. Constitution, copyright is an essential part of U.S. Law. Moreover, because of the ease of obtaining copyright protection over creative works, nearly all people have countless works to their names. Yet despite these things, people often misunderstand how copyright law operates. As such, this course will explore the fundamentals of U.S. copyright law, from securing protection, to copyright duration, fair use, and the tension between copyright and First Amendment freedom of expression.