Intellectual Property

Fandango

That sanctimonious son of a bitch has the audacity to accuse me — me, of all people — of copyright infringement,” Sam said, indignantly.

“According to his complaint, Craig said that he handed you a detailed plot outline, including story arc and character profiles, for a novel he wanted to write and you told him it was pure dreck. But he says that your latest novel is based upon what he asked you to review,” Dean said.

“That lying piece of shit is nothing but an annoying turd and I swat him and his complaint away like a pesky mosquito,” Sam said.

“Craig claims that you foster a lot of resentment toward him because you were suffering from writer’s block and when he came up with something viable, you stole his intellectual property and used it as if you had created it,” Dean said.

“Oh for God’s sake,” Sam said. “He’s straining to fabricate a claim against me, his mentor, that has no merit whatsoever, Dean. I recommend you squash that little maggot before this gets all blown out of proportion.”

“I gotta tell you, Sam,” Dean said, “I read your book and I read the materials Craig said he gave you to review and comment on, and they are remarkably similar. Almost identical, actually.”

“Craig must have created those documents after he read my book and is taking my work and claiming it to be his,” Sam said.

“Actually, Sam, the metadata on the materials he printed from his computer was dated a full year and a half before your book was published,” Dean said. “But Craig is willing to settle out of court if you list him as co-author and share the royalties with him. Otherwise, he’ll see you in court. I’d advice you go along with the settlement offer.”

Written for these daily prompts: Word of the Day Challenge (sanctimonious), The Daily Spur (copyright), Your Daily Word Prompt (according), Ragtag Daily Prompt (mosquito), My Vivid Blog (foster), and Fandango’s One Word Challenge (strain).

21 thoughts on “Intellectual Property”

  3. msjadeli December 7, 2022 / 7:04 pm

    I wonder how often this happens and how many times the original author gets a fair shake?

    Liked by 4 people

    • Fandango December 7, 2022 / 10:28 pm

      Good question. I would hope not that often.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Marilyn Armstrong December 7, 2022 / 7:37 pm

    This happens OFTEN. I know several people to whom it HAS happened. The guy with the most money wins. Because poor people simply can’t afford the fight.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Fandango December 7, 2022 / 10:28 pm

      Well that kinda sucks.

      Like

      • Marilyn Armstrong December 7, 2022 / 10:30 pm

        Yes, it does. But that’s the way the world works and sure as hell how America works.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. cagedunn December 7, 2022 / 9:49 pm

    Intellectual property law as it pertains to authors only protects the expression of ideas – not the idea itself. At least in Australia, but I’m sure every country has some minor differences. The originator doesn’t have any ink in that pen.
    I could give my outlines to ten people, and if they all used that outline to write their story, it’s unlikely to see more than a rough similarity (it was about a wizarding school, your honour, and I’m the only one who thought of that idea).
    The lesson from this is to make sure you finish it so it can be called ‘an expression of an idea’ rather than an idea.

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Carol anne December 7, 2022 / 11:58 pm

    Oops! Thats what happens when you steal someones work!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Nope, Not Pam December 8, 2022 / 1:16 am

    Sounds like a book I tried to read.

    Liked by 2 people

  9. Roy December 8, 2022 / 6:00 am

    Too bad. I would have loved to read about the trial. On balance, except for the metadata, it’s a case of he-said-she-said, as metadata is (I think?) not as compelling as physical paper and a witness or two. As a juror in such a case, I might consider how easy it would be to accuse someone, as Craig did, and then “magnanimously” agree to a 50/50 split. Then again, if I was the legitimate author, I might go 50/50 and not opt to spend a fortune hiring lawyers to plead my case and minimize my losses. Interesting quandary.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango December 8, 2022 / 10:41 am

      I tend to agree with Craig in this case, as I once had someone copy my work and claim it as his own.

      Like

  10. Maria Michaela December 10, 2022 / 4:17 pm

    Sam and Dean two characters I love from Supernatural. But Sam, should settle to avoid the mess he got himself into

    Liked by 1 person

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