Copyright Office Reports Substantial Progress on CASE Act Implementation, Extends Date for Commencement of Copyright Claims Board Operations

The Register of Copyrights is exercising her authority under the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act of 2020 to extend the date by which the Copyright Claims Board (CCB) will commence operations. Enacted on December 27, 2020, the CASE Act directs the U.S. Copyright Office to establish the CCB as a voluntary alternative forum to resolve copyright disputes of low economic value. The statute provides for the CCB to begin operations within one year of the law’s enactment, but allows the Register to extend that date by up to 180 days for good cause.

Since the CASE Act was signed into law, the Copyright Office has been working toward setting up the CCB, and the needed hiring, facilities and IT development, and publication of regulations will be substantially completed by the end of this year. However, to ensure that members of the public have sufficient opportunity to comment on the proposed regulations, and to allow for full implementation and testing of the new technological systems, the Register has determined that there is good cause to extend the date for commencement of CCB operations. As required by statute, the Register has provided formal notification to the House and Senate of this determination. The Office anticipates that the CCB will begin operations well before the end of the 180-day statutory period.