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A Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States to authors of "original works of authorship", including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Material not protected by copyright (or otherwise protected) is available for use by anyone, without the author's consent. On the other hand, an author of a copyrighted work may prevent others from copying, performing or otherwise using the work without the author's consent.

Even though copyright registration is not a requirement for protection, the following are some of the reasons why you should register your copyright:

• Registration establishes a public record of the copyright claim.
  
  
• Before an infringement suit may be filed in court, registration is necessary for works of U. S. origin.
  
  
• If made before or within 5 years of publication, registration will establish prima facie evidence in court of the validity of the copyright and of the facts stated in the certificate.
  
  
• If registration is made within 3 months after publication of the work or prior to an infringement of the work, statutory damages and attorney's fees will be available to the copyright owner in court actions. Otherwise, only an award of actual damages and profits is available to the copyright owner.
  
  
• Registration allows the owner of the copyright to record the registration with the U. S. Customs Service for protection against the importation of infringing copies.

LawInfo can help you register your copyright from the convenience of your home or office. Just answer a few questions online, send in a copy of your work, and we'll take care of the rest.