Copyright Law of the United States of America: Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code
Copyright Law of the United States of America: Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code
Library of Congress. Copyright Office
This is the law itself. Not a treatise explaining copyright, not a guide to navigating intellectual property, Title 17 of the United States Code is the authoritative text that governs all creative work in America. For anyone who creates, distributes, or protects creative content, this document is the final word on what is protected, what constitutes fair use, and what remedies exist when those rights are violated. The Copyright Act of 1976 fundamentally reshaped American copyright law, and subsequent amendments have adapted it for the digital age. Here you will find the precise statutory language defining literary works, audiovisual works, and sound recordings; the conditions under which copying for educational or archival purposes is permitted; and the procedures for registering and enforcing copyright claims. This is the document that judges consult, lawyers cite, and courts apply. Whether you are registering a new work, defending against an infringement claim, or drafting content policies for a technology company, the answers lie here in the actual text, not in commentary or interpretation, but in the law as enacted by Congress and validated by the courts.
