Judiciary Committee passes CASE Act to protect intellectual property

Statement

The House Judiciary Committee today passed the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act introduced by Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. The CASE Act would create a small claims tribunal for creators and users to have their copyright disputes adjudicated.

"The CASE Act is commonsense legislation that provides small creators, who have been victims of copyright theft, with affordable legal recourse," said Collins. "I appreciate the leadership of my friend Hakeem Jeffries in drafting this legislation and the bipartisan support it has received from members across the Judiciary Committee. If the CASE Act is signed into law, it will create a more streamlined and significantly less costly means for photographers, songwriters and graphic designers to fight property theft and protect their livelihoods. I would encourage all of my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to support and pass the CASE Act."

"The establishment of the Copyright Claims Board is critical for the creative middle class who deserve to benefit from the fruits of their labor," said Jeffries. "Copyright enforcement is essential to ensure that these artists, writers, musicians and other creators are able to commercialize their creative work in order to earn a livelihood. The CASE Act will enable creators to enforce copyright protected content in a fair, timely and affordable manner. This legislation is a strong step in the right direction."

Additional background on the CASE Act:

-The CASE Act would create the Copyright Claims Board at the Copyright Office. The board would be made up of subject matter experts who would hear and rule on these small claims cases.
-The CASE Act would cap damages at $15,000 per claim and total damages at $30,000 per plaintiff.
-The CASE Act would allow all proceedings to be undertaken over the phone and online, without an attorney.
-The CASE Act has garnered endorsements from over twenty private groups including the American Bar Association, American Association of Independent Music, American Intellectual Property Law Association, Copyright Alliance and News Media Alliance.

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