Title 17, CopyrightsRelease 119-102
§508 Notification of Filing and Determination of Actions
Title 17 › CHAPTER 5 — COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND REMEDIES › § 508
Summary
Both when a copyright lawsuit is filed and when a final judgment is entered, court clerks must notify the Register of Copyrights within one month. At filing, the notice must list the parties and each work’s title, author, and registration number, and clerks must send another notice within one month if more works are added. After the final order, clerks must send the order or judgment and any written opinion. The Register will add these notices and documents to the Copyright Office public records.
Full Legal Text
Title 17, §508
Copyrights, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Within one month after the filing of any action under this title, the clerks of the courts of the United States shall send written notification to the Register of Copyrights setting forth, as far as is shown by the papers filed in the court, the names and addresses of the parties and the title, author, and registration number of each work involved in the action. If any other copyrighted work is later included in the action by amendment, answer, or other pleading, the clerk shall also send a notification concerning it to the Register within one month after the pleading is filed.
(b)Within one month after any final order or judgment is issued in the case, the clerk of the court shall notify the Register of it, sending with the notification a copy of the order or judgment together with the written opinion, if any, of the court.
(c)Upon receiving the notifications specified in this section, the Register shall make them a part of the public records of the Copyright Office.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
house report no. 94–1476
section 508, which corresponds to some extent with a provision in the patent law (35 U.S.C. 290), is intended to establish a method for notifying the Copyright Office and the public of the filing and disposition of copyright cases. The clerks of the Federal courts are to notify the Copyright Office of the filing of any copyright actions and of their final disposition, and the Copyright Office is to make these notifications a part of its public records.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
17 U.S.C. § 508
Title 17, Copyrights
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102