St. Thomas Law Review – Copyright Law

The Clock Strikes Midnight: The Expiration of Disney’s Copyrights and Domains

March 3, 2026By Alexia Betancourt

Mickey Mouse’s iconic ears are nearly inescapable: on license plates, souvenir keychains, and Florida Disney annual pass decals. Given how deeply embedded Disney’s symbols are in American culture, it is difficult to imagine a legal landscape where Disney no longer holds exclusive rights to those symbols. As of January 1, 2026, the original cartoons of […]

Artificial Intelligence Copyright Law Featured Supreme Court

AI As Author? The Government Tells SCOTUS “No”

March 2, 2026By Hayley Grabowski

With just a few words entered into ChatGPT, a painting can materialize, raising the question of whether artificial intelligence (“AI”) is the author or merely a tool. In March of 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia answered that an author must be human.[i] The holding arose in Thaler v. Perlmutter, […]

Five Below or Five Too Close? Drawing the Line Between Competition and Parasitic Copying

February 24, 2026By Gianelle Cabrera

If a shopper has ever walked into two different stores and felt as though they were seeing double, the same product under a different label, that resemblance was likely intentional. Fast-retail brands thrive on the fine line between imitation and competition, but when does lawful competition become unlawful imitation? Putting that question to the […]

Your Listing Isn’t A License: Copyright Risks In Reusing Floor Plans And Renderings On The Multiple Listing Service

February 13, 2026By Frances Lissabet

Real estate law has always been about land, boundaries, and ownership. Modern real estate practice, however, increasingly turns on something less tangible—digital content. Floor plans, architectural renderings, and listing photography now drive buyer interest, shape pricing, and determine whether a property gets attention in a crowded market. Yet despite their commercial value, these materials are […]

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