These days copyright disputes typically involve music and movies. Someone, somewhere illegally distributes or downloads something that isn't theirs to distribute or download, and then copyright holders - the RIAA or MPAA for example - sic their cadre of lawyers on them in the hopes of curbing further offenses, or at the least try to make some cash via amnesty offers.
However, copyright infringement complaints still come in all shapes and sizes. Just ask TV personality, magazine mogul and actress Oprah Winfrey, who recently won a strange case involving the 27th president of the United States of America.
Copyright lawyer Ray Dowd discussed the case on his blog this week, providing details and quotes from the court's decision to dismiss the claim brought by Charles Harris, author of the political booklet "How America Elects Her Presidents."
Based on Harris' complaint, the fact that William Howard Taft was the roundest president to occupy the Oval Office (a fact contained in his booklet) was copyrightable information. By discussing the information during an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" after she had received copies of the booklet, the talk show host was accused of infringing his work.
The only problem was, that sort of information cannot be copyrighted. According to the court's ruling: "Copyright law protects only an author's original expression; historical facts and information in the public domain are not copyrightable."
The case was originally filed in October 2010. Despite dismissing Harris' claim, Judge Jan DuBois did not grant Winfrey's attempt for Rule 11 sanctions.
