The following is a guest post by Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights
As the year draws to a close, I’d like to provide an update on the work the Copyright Office has done to implement the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020 (CASE Act), which became law on December 27, 2020. The CASE Act directs the Office to establish a new tribunal, the Copyright Claims Board (CCB), to resolve copyright disputes with a monetary value of no more than $30,000. We are excited about this project, which represents the realization of a long-standing Copyright Office proposal. The CCB will offer a cost-effective, streamlined, and voluntary alternative to litigation in federal court.
The CASE Act provided that the CCB would open its doors by December 27, 2021, with leeway to extend that date by 180 days for good cause. I am pleased to report that implementation of the multiple tasks involved will be substantially completed by the initial statutory deadline. However, some additional time will be needed to give the public sufficient opportunity to comment on the proposed regulations and to thoroughly test the technologies that will be used before operations commence. I have therefore determined that good cause exists to defer the CCB’s start date until spring and have accordingly notified Congress.