Legal Question in Intellectual Property in Florida
Is it permissible under copyright law to use a line from a book by Dr. Seuss in a context different from that of the book on promotional t-shirts, posters, cards, for a one-time fundraising event for a non-profit organization? Is it permissible to use an image from the book?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Using an image from the book would be pure and blatant Copyright Infringement and a very bad idea. Dr. Seuss, like Mickey Mouse, protect their copyrights very aggressively.
Whether or not to use a line from the book is slightly more complicated to answer. If the line is being use in some way as a parody, then you may be able to get away with it, otherwise you are probably going to violate the Copyrights. If you believe your use of the line may be a parody, you should seek a legal opinion from an attorney familiar with Copyrights before your proceed.