Opinion ID: 456012
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Forfeiture of Copyright

Text: 91 The jury found the use by Winters Performance Products of Transgo instruction sheets that did not contain copyright notices for six years caused Transgo to forfeit its copyright protection. Ajac claims that Transgo's alleged acquiescence in Winters' action constitutes a dedication of the entire work to the public. 92 A copyright can be forfeited through some overt act which indicates the copyright proprietor's desire to surrender its rights. Lopez v. Electrical Rebuilders, Inc., 416 F.Supp. 1133, 1135 (C.D.Cal.1976). Acquiescence, with full knowledge in the publication of a vast number of copies without copyright notice, may work a forfeiture. Synercom Technology, Inc. v. University Computing Co., 462 F.Supp. 1003, 1011 (N.D.Tex.1978); see also 2 M. Nimmer, Nimmer on Copyright, Sec. 7.03 (1983). 93 Federal copyright law contains an exception to the doctrine of abandonment through publication without notice: 94 The omission of the copyright notice prescribed by sections 401 through 403 from copies or phonorecords publicly distributed by authority of the copyright owner does not invalidate the copyright in a work if-- 95 (1) the notice has been omitted from no more than a relatively small number of copies or phonorecords distributed to the public. 96 17 U.S.C. Sec. 405(a)(1). 97 Here, we have neither knowledge by Transgo nor a vast number of copies. The elimination of Transgo's copyright notices occurred without the approval or knowledge of Winters Performance Products or Transgo. Also, out of all the companies that received or used Transgo's instruction sheets, Winters was apparently the only company which neglected to include the notice. Fairbanks acknowledged that most of Transgo's instruction sheets did include the notice. The jury's determination that Transgo has not abandoned its copyright is supported by substantial evidence. 98