However, similar creative issues apply. The United States' obligations under the Berne Convention, now that she is a signatory, is to respect the copyright on fonts, if such copyright exists in the countries they were designed in. Fonts designed outside the United States become subject to protection as artistic works. Moral rights 13. Additionally, European and Commonwealth copyright laws increasingly recognize the moral right in designs.
European jurisdictions rank the moral right ahead of economic rights.
This case was fought in contract and shows the difficulties of using non-intellectual property analyses in what should have been an IP case. In US jurisprudence, it is very likely that Eltra v. Ringer will be distinguished, lessening its persuasiveness, but this is hardly enough to bring the United States into line with the rest of the world. All rights reserved. All trade names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used here either with permission or in an editorial fashion only.