MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - J.D. Salinger legal battle and authors rights

Greg Anos · 08-17-2009, 01:01 PM

If the US copyright rules under which the original book was written and published had been maintained, Catcher In The Rye would have gone into the public domain in 2008, negating the basis for the lawsuit. But with all the extensions it won't go into public domain (US) until 2046 (and that's assuming there are no more extensions). In the Eu, it's at least 2080 (depending on how long Salinger lives). As EA points out, when should a work become part of the "common culture", to be drawn upon for other works? 95 years? 131 years? More?

08-17-2009, 01:01 PM	#13
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,532 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	If the US copyright rules under which the original book was written and published had been maintained, Catcher In The Rye would have gone into the public domain in 2008, negating the basis for the lawsuit. But with all the extensions it won't go into public domain (US) until 2046 (and that's assuming there are no more extensions). In the Eu, it's at least 2080 (depending on how long Salinger lives). As EA points out, when should a work become part of the "common culture", to be drawn upon for other works? 95 years? 131 years? More? Last edited by Greg Anos; 08-17-2009 at 01:04 PM.