How do I know if I own the intellectual property rights on my idea?
In Michigan, intellectual property law establishes who owns the rights to an intellectual property, such as inventions, creative works, and designs. Generally, the person who creates an intellectual property owns the rights to it. This means that if you create an idea, you own the rights to it. However, you may not retain the rights to your idea if you create it as part of a job or if it is a product of joint effort with another person. In these cases, the rights may be owned by the employer or by the other person, depending on the circumstances. You should also be aware that state and federal laws may give certain protected works automatic copyright protection. This means that you may not be able to own the rights to something that has already been copyrighted or patented. In this situation, you may not be able to legally use the work or idea without permission. To make sure that you retain the rights to your idea, you should consult an attorney familiar with intellectual property law in Michigan. Your attorney can explain all of your rights and obligations and will be able to provide guidance and advice on how to protect your intellectual property rights.
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