Intellectual Property Law

Chapter 1 Discussion Questions

1. Composer James Horner died in 2015. He was the composer of the main theme
for the 1992 best picture Titanic. May you use this song without permission?

2. The trademark RITZ BITS was registered for crackers in 1988. When will
protection for this mark expire?

3. Noah filed an application for a utility patent for his new computer mouse on
January 10, 2015. The patent was granted on February 18, 2016. When will this
patent expire?

4. Emma received a copyright registration for her jewelry on March 18, 2016.
a. When will this copyright registration expire?

b. If Emma had received a design patent for her jewelry on March 18, 2016,
when would the patent expire?

5. Determine whether the following items are protectable as trademarks, copyrights,
patent, trade secrets, or none of the above:

• The logo used by MTV
• The book Girl on the Train written by Paula Hawkins
• A sculpture entitled Reunion
• The roar of MGM’s lion
• The title of the book Introduction to Economics
• The text or narrative discussion in the book Introduction to
Economics
• The confidential formula for spices used by Taco Bell in its
seasoning
• A new type of cell phone

6. American author James Fenimore Cooper published his novel The Last of the
Mohicans in 1826, twenty-five years before his death in 1851. Discuss whether
the 1992 movie based on this novel was required to obtain permission or whether
the copyright in the novel had expired.