HopefullyInLawSchool
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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Feist doctrine
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A quick definition of Feist doctrine:
The Feist doctrine is a rule that says just working hard to gather information or facts does not automatically give someone the right to own the copyright for that information. This means that if someone puts together a collection of facts that are not original, they cannot claim copyright protection for it. The Feist doctrine was established in a court case called Feist Pubs. v. Rural Tel. Serv. Co. in 1991. It is different from the "sweat-of-the-brow" doctrine, which suggests that someone who puts in a lot of effort to create something should automatically have the right to own the copyright for it.
A more thorough explanation:
The Feist Doctrine is a legal rule that states that a collection of facts that lacks originality cannot be protected by U.S. copyright law. This means that if someone compiles a list of facts that anyone could gather with minimal effort, they cannot claim exclusive rights to that list.
For example, if someone creates a phone book by simply copying and pasting information from other sources, they cannot claim copyright protection for that phone book. This was the case in Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service Co., where the Supreme Court ruled that Rural Telephone Service Co. could not claim copyright protection for their phone book because it lacked originality.
The Feist Doctrine is important because it promotes the free flow of information and encourages creativity and innovation. It ensures that copyright protection is only granted to original works that require skill, creativity, and effort to create.