Intellectual Property Violations

Intellectual property is property which is not physical or tangible.  Therefore, intellectual property is intangible, such as an idea or an invention.

Intellectual Property Law

Intellectual property law is a body of law which is aimed at protecting the intangible, non-physical entities or ideas.  In other words, this law protects ideas and inventions as opposed to an actual possession.  There are four areas of intellectual property law.  These four areas include:

• copyright law
• patent law
• trademark law
• trade secret law

Violation of Intellectual Property

If one violates an intellectual property law, one may be liable for any of the following penalties of stealing IP usage:

• IP infringement liability
• Misappropriation liability

If liability is established, illegal IP usage fines can range from thousands to millions of dollars, depending upon the circumstances of the particular case.  Penalties of stealing IP can include criminal IP infringement enforcement penalties.  For instance, the United States has the Digital Millennium Copyright Act which carries criminal consequences.  This law imposes significant criminal penalties if one intentionally utilizes illegal methods to reproduce and distribute materials in violation of copyright holders’ rights.

Intellectual Property Lawyer Help

Intellectual property violations carry significant penalties.  In addition, intellectual property matters involve complex issues.  Therefore, if one is involved in such a case, it is crucial to consult with an experienced intellectual property attorney.   An experienced attorney can evaluate one’s case and determine what legal options one may have in the matter.