Compendium II: Copyright Office Practices
Encyclopedia
Compendium II: Copyright Office Practices is a manual produced by the United States Copyright Office
. It is intended to be used primarily by the Copyright Office staff, as a general guide to the Copyright Office policies and procedures.
The Compendium II is directed to policy under the 1976 Copyright Act
, as amended. The title Compendium II indicates that it replaces the original Compendium, which described policy under the earlier 1909 Copyright Act.
The Compendium II is an internal manual, and it does not have the force of law, unlike the U.S. Copyright Act
or Copyright Office regulations
. However, for some issues that are not addressed in the statute or regulations (such as, for example, whether to issue a registration to a government body claiming a copyright in its enacted laws), the Compendium II is the only on-point authority.
The Compendium II is sometimes, but not often, used by attorneys in dealings with the Copyright Office. A Westlaw search of the FIP-CS database which contains documents from the U.S. Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals, District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts, Court of Federal Claims, U.S. Tax Court, Military Courts, and related federal and territorial courts showed fewer than fifty citations of the Compendium by the courts total. This is in contrast to, for example, the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure
, which is heavily relied upon by attorneys and agents dealing with the patent functions of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
.
United States Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office, a part of the Library of Congress, is the official U.S. government body that maintains records of copyright registration in the United States. It is used by copyright title searchers who are attempting to clear a chain of title for copyrighted works.The head of...
. It is intended to be used primarily by the Copyright Office staff, as a general guide to the Copyright Office policies and procedures.
The Compendium II is directed to policy under the 1976 Copyright Act
United States copyright law
The copyright law of the United States governs the legally enforceable rights of creative and artistic works under the laws of the United States.Copyright law in the United States is part of federal law, and is authorized by the U.S. Constitution...
, as amended. The title Compendium II indicates that it replaces the original Compendium, which described policy under the earlier 1909 Copyright Act.
The Compendium II is an internal manual, and it does not have the force of law, unlike the U.S. Copyright Act
United States copyright law
The copyright law of the United States governs the legally enforceable rights of creative and artistic works under the laws of the United States.Copyright law in the United States is part of federal law, and is authorized by the U.S. Constitution...
or Copyright Office regulations
Code of Federal Regulations
The Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules and regulations published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government of the United States.The CFR is published by the Office of the Federal Register, an agency...
. However, for some issues that are not addressed in the statute or regulations (such as, for example, whether to issue a registration to a government body claiming a copyright in its enacted laws), the Compendium II is the only on-point authority.
The Compendium II is sometimes, but not often, used by attorneys in dealings with the Copyright Office. A Westlaw search of the FIP-CS database which contains documents from the U.S. Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals, District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts, Court of Federal Claims, U.S. Tax Court, Military Courts, and related federal and territorial courts showed fewer than fifty citations of the Compendium by the courts total. This is in contrast to, for example, the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure
The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure is published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for use by patent attorneys and agents and patent examiners. It describes all of the laws and regulations that must be followed in the examination of U.S. patent applications, and articulates...
, which is heavily relied upon by attorneys and agents dealing with the patent functions of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
.
See also
- Manual of Patent Examining ProcedureManual of Patent Examining ProcedureThe Manual of Patent Examining Procedure is published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for use by patent attorneys and agents and patent examiners. It describes all of the laws and regulations that must be followed in the examination of U.S. patent applications, and articulates...
- Trademark Manual of Examining ProcedureTrademark Manual of Examining ProcedureThe Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure is a manual published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for use by trademark attorneys and trademark examiners. It describes all of the laws and regulations that must be followed in order to apply for and maintain a trademark in the...
External links
- Copyright Office regulations
- The Compendium II page at the U.S. Copyright Office web site (includes only chapters 1600 and 1900).
- An online copy of the Compendium II, at the IP Mall (operated by Franklin Pierce Law CenterFranklin Pierce Law CenterThe University of New Hampshire School of Law, formerly the Franklin Pierce Law Center, is an American Bar Association-accredited law school located in Concord, New Hampshire. It is the only law school in the state. It was founded in 1973 by Robert H...
). - Another copy of the Compendium II, at www.copyrightcompendium.com
- An online copy of the superseded Compendium I (July 1973), at the IP Mall.