Legal Question in Intellectual Property in California

copyrights for text messaging and other quotes

Please tell me if any laws apply when printing text messages or other quotes in a book. I don't know the author but since I received them from my Guru I put His name on them, but most of them were forwarded from other devotees and may just be circulating in the public from the public. So i am now printing a little book of His sayings and have included some of these. Will i be in legal trouble? Anything I can do other than delete them so i won't be in any legal trouble? I need this answered from the western viewpoint as the booklet will go to western countries. Thanks so much. seethamma


Asked on 10/13/06, 10:48 am

2 Answers from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Re: copyrights for text messaging and other quotes

The divine law of Karma says you must ask and receive permission lest you suffer reincarnation as a copyright infringement defendant, eternally tormented by Guru's downtown law firm.

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Answered on 10/13/06, 11:11 am
Timothy J. Walton Internet Attorney

Re: copyrights for text messaging and other quotes

Permission must come from the copyright holder: whoever is the first one to write the sayings down, or that person's lawful assign.

Permission from your Guru is not sufficient.

Unless you can trace the sayings back to the original people that wrote each down, you have no right to re-publish.

Also, you did not ask about this, but California law protects the "right of publicity." You need your Guru's permission to use His name on your book.

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Answered on 10/13/06, 12:04 pm


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