The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #68729   Message #1160025
Posted By: GUEST, Mikefule
12-Apr-04 - 02:32 PM
Thread Name: Copyrights - Will I be sued if (I give away CDs?)
Subject: RE: Copyrights - Will I sued if......
It all depends on the copyright owner. The law is one thing. Determination to enforce it is another.

For you to be sued:

First, the copyright owner has to find out.

Then (s)he has to track you down.

Then (s)he has to make a decision to sue.

Then issue proceedings.

Then prove to the satisfaction of a court that a given level of damages is appropriate.

All of this seems awfully unlikely, as long as you are not producing large numbers of discs, or selling them for financial reward.

Run this past the list above and you'll find that the person who sues you has to be a lucky, determined, vindictive, unreasonable person, who catches the Judge on a good day.

Do you worry about being sued every time you cross the road? If you cause an accident, you could be sued you know.

I'd say make the CD, but if you produce a card insert, ensure that you credit the copyright owners and songwriters.