Revision Legal’s Traverse City copyright lawyers protect the creative and digital work of Northern Michigan businesses, photographers, designers, software developers, and content creators. From DMCA takedowns to federal copyright litigation, we provide full-service copyright representation for clients throughout the region.
Copyright Legal Services
Copyright protects original creative works — written content, photographs, software, music, video, graphic design, and more. Our Traverse City copyright attorneys handle:
- Copyright Registration — Filing with the U.S. Copyright Office to establish your ownership record and preserve your right to statutory damages and attorney’s fees.
- DMCA Enforcement — Sending DMCA takedown notices to platforms (websites, social media, marketplaces) that host infringing copies of your work.
- Copyright Infringement Litigation — Representing copyright owners in federal court to pursue damages, injunctive relief, and attorney’s fees against infringers.
- Infringement Defense — Defending businesses and individuals accused of copyright infringement, including fair use analysis and licensing dispute resolution.
- Copyright Licensing — Drafting and negotiating licensing agreements that let you monetize your work while protecting your ownership rights.
- Online Content Disputes — Handling counter-notices, platform appeals, and content restoration issues that arise from erroneous or abusive DMCA filings.
Detailed information is available on our copyright law, copyright registration, and copyright infringement pages.
Who We Help in Traverse City
Photographers, filmmakers, designers, writers, software developers, and digital businesses throughout the Traverse City area create work that can be copied without permission online in minutes. We also regularly assist e-commerce companies, media companies, and technology businesses dealing with copyright issues on Amazon, Etsy, social platforms, and other online channels.
Our attorneys have handled copyright disputes involving photographs stolen for commercial use, software code misappropriated by competitors, website content scraped and republished, and graphic designs copied across product lines. We work to move quickly to stop infringement and pursue the remedies available.
Registration timing has real financial consequences. Under 17 U.S.C. § 412, statutory damages and attorney’s fees generally are not available for infringement that begins before a work is registered, unless the work is registered within three months after first publication. For a Traverse City photographer or designer who publishes new work regularly, a routine registration schedule preserves remedies that could otherwise be lost.
Copyright Litigation Venue for Grand Traverse County
Copyright infringement lawsuits cannot be filed in state court. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1338(a), no state court has jurisdiction over claims arising under the federal copyright laws, so an infringement case against a Grand Traverse County defendant is generally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. Grand Traverse County is part of that court’s Southern Division, and appeals go to the Sixth Circuit.
Before filing, the copyright owner usually must hold a registration: 17 U.S.C. § 411(a) bars a civil action for infringement of a United States work until registration or preregistration has been made. Related state-law disputes — for example, a contract claim over an unpaid license fee — may still be heard in the 13th Circuit Court in Traverse City. Our copyright litigation page explains the federal process in more detail.
Serving Northern Michigan
Our Traverse City copyright lawyers serve clients throughout Northern Michigan, including Petoskey, Cadillac, Charlevoix, Elk Rapids, and surrounding communities, as well as clients across Michigan and nationwide.
Contact a Traverse City Copyright Lawyer
If your work has been copied or you need help structuring copyright protection, call us at 231.714.0100 or reach out online. You are also welcome to visit our office at 444 Cass Street, Suite D, in downtown Traverse City.
Revision Legal — Traverse City
444 Cass Street, Suite D
Traverse City, MI 49684
231.714.0100
Copyright FAQ for Northern Michigan Creators
Do I have to register my copyright before suing an infringer?
For United States works, generally yes. Under 17 U.S.C. § 411(a), a civil action for infringement cannot be instituted until the copyright claim has been preregistered or registered. Copyright protection itself exists once an original work is fixed in a tangible form, but registration is the step that opens the courthouse door for most U.S. works.
How much can I recover if someone copies my photographs?
It depends on the facts and on registration timing. A copyright owner may recover actual damages and the infringer’s profits or, if eligible, statutory damages of $750 to $30,000 per work, which a court may increase up to $150,000 for willful infringement under 17 U.S.C. § 504(c). Statutory damages and attorney’s fees are often unavailable when a work was not registered in time.
Can a copyright lawsuit be filed in the 13th Circuit Court in Traverse City?
Not for the infringement claim itself. Federal law gives federal courts exclusive jurisdiction over claims arising under the copyright laws, so infringement suits involving Grand Traverse County defendants are typically filed in the Western District of Michigan. A separate state-law claim, such as breach of a licensing contract, can sometimes proceed in state court on its own.
Is sending a DMCA takedown notice risky?
It can be if the notice is not well founded. A DMCA notice must state a good-faith belief that the use is not authorized, and someone who knowingly and materially misrepresents that material is infringing can be liable for resulting damages. Before sending one, consider whether the use is licensed or a fair use. The recipient may also file a counter-notice seeking restoration.
Do you work with creators outside Traverse City?
Yes. Our Traverse City office at 444 Cass Street, Suite D serves creators and businesses in Petoskey, Cadillac, Charlevoix, Elk Rapids, and across Northern Michigan, and we represent copyright owners elsewhere in Michigan and around the country. Registration, DMCA enforcement, and most pre-litigation work can be handled remotely by phone, video, and email.
More Practice Areas — Traverse City
Our Traverse City office handles the full range of internet and intellectual property law matters for Northern Michigan clients.
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