Maryland
How Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., Inc. applies in Maryland: state-specific rules, key cases, and bar exam notes for Copyright.
Maryland adheres to the principles established in Feist by requiring an original work of authorship to contain a minimal amount of creativity to qualify for copyright protection. The state's copyright laws are generally aligned with federal standards, particularly in addressing the originality requirement.
In Maryland, a compilation is not protected by copyright unless it exhibits a modicum of creativity or original authorship in its selection or arrangement.
The court held that the selection and arrangement of materials can qualify for copyright if it demonstrates original thought and creativity.
This case reaffirmed that mere factual compilations without originality cannot be copyrighted, consistent with the Feist ruling.
The court found that the work at issue lacked sufficient creativity to warrant copyright protection, echoing the Feist requirement for originality.
Maryland's approach closely mirrors the federal standard as articulated in Feist Publications, emphasizing the necessity of originality in compilations. Like the federal system, Maryland courts require that a creative threshold be met, which prevents the copyrighting of mere facts or data.
The principles from Feist are often tested in copyright law sections of the Maryland bar exam, highlighting the originality requirement.