The CASE Act proposes an alternative small claims tribunal for copyright infringement claims. For those that lack the resources to engage in expensive and lengthy copyright litigation, this Act will provide an alternative means to protect their rights in court. Last month the bill passed in the House and is now awaiting vote in the Senate. Read a summary and the full text of the bill here.

Professor Lateef Mtima recently wrote an op-ed on the impact of the CASE Act. “The Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act would change this inequitable status quo by providing middle- and working-class artists with a real ability to protect themselves and their creations. It creates an optional tribunal with jurisdiction over civil copyright disputes carefully designed to fill the gap created by the lack of access in our current system.” Read more.

Earlier this year, IIPSJ sent a letter to Congress supporting passage of the CASE Act. In the letter we explain that the CASE Act addresses a critical problem in the copyright ecosystem- the practical inability of many individual and small business copyright owners to seek legal redress for copyright infringement. With the advent of digital information technology and the Internet, many marginalized artists, scholars, activists, and entrepreneurs enjoy unprecedented opportunities for self-expression and socio-economic empowerment. Passage of the CASE Act will help to ensure that these and other creators who embrace these opportunities to contribute to our nation’s cultural storehouse will also enjoy the legal protections and pecuniary rewards that Congress intended to include among the fruits of their expressive labors. Read more here.