Constitution
Article I, Section 8, clause 8 of the Constitution states: "[The Congress shall have power] To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries..."
For a thorough discussion of this provision, see:
The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation. Analysis of Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to June 28, 2012 by Publication Date: 2013Nearly 3,000 pages of detailed analysis of constitutional provisions incorporating discussions of significant U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
- Constitution of the United States: Analysis and Interpretation [GovInfo]An authoritative, scholarly resource on the history and interpretation of the Constitution through opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court. Covers editions from 1992 to date.
Copyright Statutes
The Copyright Act of 1976, the primary basis of copyright law in the United States, is codified in Title 17 of the U.S. Code.
See the Gallagher guide on U.S. (Federal) Laws for print and online sources of the U.S. Code. A couple of free resources include:
- Copyright Law of the United States [U.S. Copyright Office]Contains the text of Title 17 of the U.S. Code, the Copyright Act of 1976, amendments to Title 17 since 1976, copyright-related acts since 1976, and other relevant titles in the U.S. Code.
- U.S. Code: Title 17 - Copyrights [Cornell Legal Information Institute]Contains the text of Title 17 of the U.S. Code.
Copyright Regulations & Guidance
The regulations pertaining to copyright are in Title 37, Parts 201-205 & 211-212. For more information on where to locate the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and the Federal Register in print and online, see the Gallagher guide on U.S. Administrative Law Research.
- Intellectual Property Regulations [Westlaw]Contains parts and sections of the Code of Federal Regulations pertaining to intellectual property.
- Copyright Law Administrative Codes & Regulations [Lexis Advance]Contains all available administrative codes, registers, regulation text and regulation documents pertaining to copyright law.
Copyright Cases
Copyright law in the United States is primarily federal law. Thus, copyright cases are mostly decided in the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. For call numbers, dates of coverage, and locations of court reporters, see the Gallagher guide on Court Reporters.
Copyright Cases Online
Topical Reporters
Topical reporters collect cases about a certain subject or area of law. Topical reporters related to copyright law include:
United States Patents QuarterlyCall Number: Compact Stacks (KF2975.A2 U54)A specialized reporter for patent and other intellectual property cases. The library's print subscription ends with vol. 102 of the 2d series, June 2012.
Also available on Bloomberg Law.
- Decisions of the United States Courts Involving Copyright [HeinOnline]Contains Bulletin No's. 1-49 (1789-1985).
Part of HeinOnline's Intellectual Property Law Collection.