Eltra Corp. v. Ringer explained

Courtseal:Seal of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.svg
Litigants:Eltra Corporation v. Barbara A. Ringer
Court:United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Arguedate:June 14
Argueyear:1978
Decidedate:June 14
Decideyear:1978
Fullname:Eltra Corp. v. Barbara A. Ringer, International Typographic Composition Association and Advertising Typographers Association of America, Inc.
Citations:579 F.2d 294
Prior:Appeal from The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Holding:Found that typefaces were not protectable expression.
Judges:Harrison Lee Winter, Donald S. Russell, Hiram Emory Widener, Jr.
Keywords:Typeface, United states copyright law

Eltra Corp. v. Ringer, 579 F.2d 294 (4th Cir. 1978), was a case in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that determined that typefaces were not eligible for protection under U.S. copyright law. The United States Copyright Office had refused to register a typeface design owned by Eltra Corporation, who filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The district court held that the design submitted did not qualify as a "work of art" under Regulation 202.10(c) of the 1909 Copyright Act. The appellate court affirmed this decision.

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