Source: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title17-section109&num=0&edition=prelim
Timestamp: 2019-11-15 17:58:55
Document Index: 82207052

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 109', '§101', '§2', '§2', '§802', '§514', '§12', '§209', '§802', '§802', '§804', '§511', '§4', '§1', '§332', '§104']

[USC02] 17 USC 109: Limitations on exclusive rights: Effect of transfer of particular copy or phonorecord
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17 USC 109: Limitations on exclusive rights: Effect of transfer of particular copy or phonorecord Text contains those laws in effect on November 14, 2019
( Pub. L. 94–553, title I, §101, Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2548 ; Pub. L. 98–450, §2, Oct. 4, 1984, 98 Stat. 1727 ; Pub. L. 100–617, §2, Nov. 5, 1988, 102 Stat. 3194 ; Pub. L. 101–650, title VIII, §§802, 803, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5134 , 5135; Pub. L. 103–465, title V, §514(b), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4981 ; Pub. L. 105–80, §12(a)(5), Nov. 13, 1997, 111 Stat. 1534 ; Pub. L. 110–403, title II, §209(a)(1), Oct. 13, 2008, 122 Stat. 4264 .)
Effect on Further Disposition of Copy or Phonorecord. Section 109(a) restates and confirms the principle that, where the copyright owner has transferred ownership of a particular copy or phonorecord of a work, the person to whom the copy or phonorecord is transferred is entitled to dispose of it by sale, rental, or any other means. Under this principle, which has been established by the court decisions and section 27 of the present law [section 27 of former title 17], the copyright owner's exclusive right of public distribution would have no effect upon anyone who owns "a particular copy or phonorecord lawfully made under this title" and who wishes to transfer it to someone else or to destroy it.
Effect on Display of Copy. Subsection (b) of section 109 deals with the scope of the copyright owner's exclusive right to control the public display of a particular "copy" of a work (including the original or prototype copy in which the work was first fixed). Assuming, for example, that a painter has sold the only copy of an original work of art without restrictions, would it be possible for him to restrain the new owner from displaying it publicly in galleries, shop windows, on a projector, or on television?
The first section of the Clayton Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), is classified to section 12 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and section 53 of Title 29, Labor. The term "antitrust laws" is defined in section 12 of Title 15.
2008-Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 110–403 substituted "and 505" for "505, and 509".
1997-Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 105–80 substituted "Register of Copyrights considers appropriate" for "Register of Copyright considers appropriate".
1994-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–465 inserted at end "Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, copies or phonorecords of works subject to restored copyright under section 104A that are manufactured before the date of restoration of copyright or, with respect to reliance parties, before publication or service of notice under section 104A(e), may be sold or otherwise disposed of without the authorization of the owner of the restored copyright for purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage only during the 12-month period beginning on-
"(2) the date of the receipt of actual notice served under section 104A(d)(2)(B),
1990-Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 101–650, §802(2), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: "Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), unless authorized by the owners of copyright in the sound recording and in the musical works embodied therein, the owner of a particular phonorecord may not, for purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage, dispose of, or authorize the disposal of, the possession of that phonorecord by rental, lease, or lending, or by any other act or practice in the nature of rental, lease, or lending. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall apply to the rental, lease, or lending of a phonorecord for nonprofit purposes by a nonprofit library or nonprofit educational institution."
Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 101–650, §802(3), added par. (4) and struck out former par. (4) which read as follows: "Any person who distributes a phonorecord in violation of clause (1) is an infringer of copyright under section 501 of this title and is subject to the remedies set forth in sections 502, 503, 504, 505, and 509. Such violation shall not be a criminal offense under section 506 or cause such person to be subject to the criminal penalties set forth in section 2319 of title 18."
1988-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–617 substituted "(a) and (c)" for "(a) and (b)" and "copyright" for "coyright".
1984-Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 98–450 added subsec. (b) and redesignated existing subsecs. (b) and (c) as (c) and (d), respectively.
Pub. L. 101–650, title VIII, §804, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5136 , as amended by Pub. L. 103–465, title V, §511, Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4974 , provided that:
"(a) In General.-Subject to subsection (b), this title [amending this section and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 101 and 205 of this title] and the amendments made in section 802 [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 1, 1990]. The amendment made by section 803 [amending this section] shall take effect one year after such date of enactment.
"(b) Prospective Application.-Section 109(b) of title 17, United States Code, as amended by section 802 of this Act, shall not affect the right of a person in possession of a particular copy of a computer program, who acquired such copy before the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 1, 1990], to dispose of the possession of that copy on or after such date of enactment in any manner permitted by section 109 of title 17, United States Code, as in effect on the day before such date of enactment.
"(c) Termination.-The amendments made by section 803 shall not apply to public performances or displays that occur on or after October 1, 1995."
Pub. L. 98–450, §4, Oct. 4, 1984, 98 Stat. 1728 , as amended by Pub. L. 100–617, §1, Nov. 5, 1988, 102 Stat. 3194 ; Pub. L. 103–182, title III, §332, Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2114 , provided that:
"(a) The amendments made by this Act [amending this section and section 115 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 101 of this title] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 4, 1984].
"(b) The provisions of section 109(b) of title 17, United States Code, as added by section 2 of this Act, shall not affect the right of an owner of a particular phonorecord of a sound recording, who acquired such ownership before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 4, 1984], to dispose of the possession of that particular phonorecord on or after such date of enactment in any manner permitted by section 109 of title 17, United States Code, as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act."
Pub. L. 105–304, title I, §104, Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2876 , provided that:
"(a) Evaluation by the Register of Copyrights and the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information.-The Register of Copyrights and the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the Department of Commerce shall jointly evaluate-
"(1) the effects of the amendments made by this title [enacting chapter 12 of this title and amending sections 101, 104, 104A, 411, and 507 of this title] and the development of electronic commerce and associated technology on the operation of sections 109 and 117 of title 17, United States Code; and
"(2) the relationship between existing and emergent technology and the operation of sections 109 and 117 of title 17, United States Code.
"(b) Report to Congress.-The Register of Copyrights and the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the Department of Commerce shall, not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 28, 1998], submit to the Congress a joint report on the evaluation conducted under subsection (a), including any legislative recommendations the Register and the Assistant Secretary may have."