Claims Tribunal, Music Rates Headline 2021 Copyright Issues (1)

A new small claims tribunal and a music licensing collective are among the significant developments set to play out in copyright law in 2021.

The U.S. Copyright Office will run the small claims tribunal under language added to the recently enacted omnibus spending package.

The tribunal will be a new, affordable way to enforce copyrights that aren’t valuable enough to take to federal court in long and costly litigation, rightsholders say. Infringers currently can act with near impunity, they say.

Others worry it could be a haven for abuse, and perhaps unconstitutional with nearly unappealable awards granted outside of a ...