U.S. Copyright Office drops physical deposit examination requirement and expands electronic processing in response to COVID-19

Last week, the U.S. Copyright Office began allowing application submissions of an electronic copy (coupled with a sworn statement it is a true and identical copy) for works that traditionally required a physical copy, or "best edition" deposit, to be sent and examined. 

 Where required, some applicants must still send in a physical copy with their application, but allowing an accompanying electronic copy enables applicant processors to examine these types of works to grant registration when they would traditionally not have been able to without examining the physical copy itself.

 The office has continued to process applications for works that can be submitted fully electronically normally, but all applicants that require a physical deposit will now also have the electronic option from the start.

 The full story:
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/copyright-office-allows-proxy-submissions-for-physical-copies

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