The “Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act” (the CASE Act), passed by the U.S. Congress in December 2020 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, called for the creation of a “small claims court” within the U.S. Copyright Office, to handle copyright disputes. According to an alert by The Copyright Alliance, this initiative has now launched.
The Copyright Claims Board (or, CCB) “is a three member tribunal with extensive expertise in copyright matters that provides a streamlined alternative to federal court to resolve copyright disputes involving claims up to $30,000.”
The Copyright Alliance alert provides links to their own resources, including:
- A step-by-step guide to help Copyright Alliance creator members better understand and navigate the CCB process, and a link to become a member at no charge
- A Learn About the Copyright Claims Board webinar
- An upcoming series of Copyright Academy webinar videos
- Copyright Claims Board FAQs
There are also links to Copyright Claims Board (CCB) resources, including:
- CCB’s Start or Access a Claim page (online portal)
- A directory to see if a claimant has been assigned an agent to receive service of process
- A sign-up page for updates by the CCB
Read the full Copyright Alliance alert (June 16, 2022)
Access the Copyright Claims Board online portal (US Copyright Office)
Why it matters
“Historically, federal courts have had exclusive jurisdiction over copyright, but it’s expensive and complex to navigate a case through the federal court system. Thus, most professional creators and small businesses cannot afford to enforce their rights when someone infringes their works. The Copyright Claims Board, which launched on June 16, 2022, will provide a voluntary and affordable alternative to federal court,” said The Copyright Alliance.