The material on this website is subject to two very different copyright schemes:
- The written material on this website including titles, copy (text), footnotes, content-related meta-text and images indicated "copyright reserved" are copyright 2008 by Derek Van Dusen and are subject to the full statutory and common-law reservation of rights.
- the graphic design of this website is courtesy Free CSS Templates and is released under the Creative Commons 2.5 license.
Using two different copyright schemes is somewhat confusing, but it allows us to offer a pleasing, resource rich site. We are just not comfortable releasing rights to law-related text, so don't reproduce this site's written material or copyright reserved images.
grant of limited rights
Derek Van Dusen, Barrister and Solicitor ("the Author"), grants to users of this website the following rights, which are subject to the rights of other copyright holders as set out on this page.
Users are permitted to download and view the materials on this site for their personal use, or for their business use provided that the materials are not distributed, licensed, sold or adapted in any way, and that these materials are used for information purposes only.
Users are permitted to have stored on their computer data from this site, or to print or otherwise retain data from this site, provided however that the User does not distribute, adapt, licence, sell or otherwise deal in the materials without first having obtained the written consent of the Author.
No other use of or right in the materials on this website is given or shall be deemed to have been given without the written consent of the Author.
about the creative commons
In the bad old days of the aftermath of the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) legal victory against Napster, some creative-minded individuals became concerned that traditional notions of copyright had gone too far. While artists should be entitled to be paid for their efforts and should be entitled to retain control over the eventual uses of their art, these people reckoned as follows:
"Isn't art supposed to be about communication and collaboration? Won't the straight-jacket approach to copyright stifle artists' creativity, and restrict artists' ability to create as much as it enhances it?"
And, finally:
"Isn't traditional copyright overkill for artists, academics and others who are prepared to release their works with less control?"
And so the creative commons copywright scheme was born. See creativecommons.org for more information.