Copyright
This Restatement encompasses general copyright law. Its goal is to provide guidance to the courts in areas, including ones that have clear common-law origins, in which there is significant scope for judicial discretion.
Tentative Draft No. 5 (softbound)
Tentative Draft No. 5 contains material from Chapter 2, Scope of Protection, Chapter 6, Copyright Rights and Limitations, Chapter 7, Copyright Infringement, Chapter 8, Secondary Liability, Chapter 10, Safe Harbors, Copyright Protection Systems, and Copyright Management Information, and Chapter 11, Procedural Issues and Relationship to Other Bodies of Law. The membership voted to approve this draft at the 2024 Annual Meeting subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. This material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 5 (Electronic PDF)
Tentative Draft No. 5 contains material from Chapter 2, Scope of Protection, Chapter 6, Copyright Rights and Limitations, Chapter 7, Copyright Infringement, Chapter 8, Secondary Liability, Chapter 10, Safe Harbors, Copyright Protection Systems, and Copyright Management Information, and Chapter 11, Procedural Issues and Relationship to Other Bodies of Law. The membership voted to approve this draft at the 2024 Annual Meeting subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. This material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 4 Revised (Electronic PDF)
Tentative Draft No. 4 Revised contains material from Chapter 4, Copyright Formalities; Chapter 5, Duration of Copyright; Chapter 6, Copyright Rights and Limitations; and Chapter 7, Copyright Infringement. The membership voted to approve this draft at the 2023 Annual Meeting, subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. This draft has been revised based on the discussion at the Meeting. This material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 4 (softbound)
Tentative Draft No. 4 contains material from Chapter 4, Copyright Formalities; Chapter 5, Duration of Copyright; Chapter 6, Copyright Rights and Limitations; and Chapter 7, Copyright Infringement. The membership voted to approve this draft at the 2023 Annual Meeting, subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. This material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 4 (Electronic PDF)
Tentative Draft No. 4 contains material from Chapter 4, Copyright Formalities; Chapter 5, Duration of Copyright; Chapter 6, Copyright Rights and Limitations; and Chapter 7, Copyright Infringement. The membership voted to approve this draft at the 2023 Annual Meeting, subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. This material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 3 Revised (Electronic PDF)
Tentative Draft No. 3 Revised contains Chapter 1, Subject Matter and Standards: Generally (§ 10); Chapter 2, Subject Matter of Copyright: Scope of Protection (§ 15); Chapter 3, Initial Ownership, Transfers, Voluntary Licenses, and Termination of Grants (§ 20, Comment g; §§ 27-29); Chapter 4, Copyright Formalities (§§ 40, 41, 46-48); Chapter 5, Duration of Copyright (§§ 50, 51, 53, 54); Chapter 6, Copyright Rights and Limitations (§§ 56, 57, 59); Chapter 9, Copyright Remedies (§§ 9.01-9.04; § 9.05 (previously § 9.06) and § 9.06 (previously § 9.05)). The membership voted to approve this draft at the 2022 Annual Meeting, subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. This draft has been revised based on the discussion at the Meeting. This material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 3 (softbound)
Tentative Draft No. 3 contains material from Chapter 1, Subject Matter and Standards: Generally; Chapter 2, Subject Matter of Copyright: Scope of Protection; Chapter 3, Initial Ownership, Transfers, Voluntary Licenses, and Termination of Grants; Chapter 4, Copyright Formalities; Chapter 5, Duration of Copyright; Chapter 6, Copyright Rights and Limitations; and Chapter 9, Copyright Remedies. The membership voted to approve this draft at the 2022 Annual Meeting, subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. This material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 3 (Electronic PDF)
Tentative Draft No. 3 contains material from Chapter 1, Subject Matter and Standards: Generally; Chapter 2, Subject Matter of Copyright: Scope of Protection; Chapter 3, Initial Ownership, Transfers, Voluntary Licenses, and Termination of Grants; Chapter 4, Copyright Formalities; Chapter 5, Duration of Copyright; Chapter 6, Copyright Rights and Limitations; and Chapter 9, Copyright Remedies. The membership voted to approve this draft at the 2022 Annual Meeting, subject to the discussion at the Meeting and editorial prerogative. This material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 2 Revised (Electronic PDF)
Revised Tentative Draft No. 2 contains Chapter 1, Subject Matter and Standards: Generally (§§ 1-9, 11); Chapter 2, Subject Matter of Copyright: Scope of Protection (§ 12 (for discussion only); §§ 13, 14, 16, 19); and Chapter 3, Initial Ownership, Transfers, Voluntary Licenses, and Termination of Grants (§§ 20-29). The membership voted to approve Sections 1-9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19, and 20-26 of this draft at the 2021 Annual Meeting, subject to motions to amend the draft passed at the Annual Meeting, the discussion at the Meeting, and editorial prerogative. Time expired before Sections 27-29 were discussed. This draft has been revised to include the approved amended text. The approved material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 2 (Electronic PDF)
Tentative Draft No. 2 contains Chapter 1, Subject Matter and Standards: Generally (§§ 1-9, 11); Chapter 2, Subject Matter of Copyright: Scope of Protection (§ 12 (for discussion only); §§ 13, 14, 16, 19); and Chapter 3, Initial Ownership, Transfers, Voluntary Licenses, and Termination of Grants (§§ 20-29). The membership voted to approve Sections 1-9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19, and 20-26 of this draft at the 2021 Annual Meeting, subject to motions to amend the draft passed at the Annual Meeting, the discussion at the Meeting, and editorial prerogative. Time expired before Sections 27-29 were discussed. The approved material may be cited as representing the Institute’s position until the official text is published.
Tentative Draft No. 1 (Electronic PDF)
Tentative Draft No. 1 contains §§ 1-9 and 11 of Chapter 1, Subject Matter and Standards: Generally; §§ 12-14 and 19 of Chapter 2, Subject Matter of Copyright: Scope of Protection; and §§ 20 (for discussion only) and 21-26 of Chapter 3, Initial Ownership, Transfers, Licenses, Termination of Grants, and Abandonment. This draft was prepared for consideration at the 2020 Annual Meeting, which was cancelled. The draft has not been considered by the membership of ALI and therefore does not represent the position of the Institute on any of the issues with which it deals. The draft may be revised or supplemented prior to consideration by the membership in 2021.