Legal Question in Intellectual Property in Indiana

Re: Copyright Infringement

They can absolutely attempt to do that. Here are some key things she should be thinking about:

First, can she identify the location where she found the info? If so, she could prove she did not copy their work. Even if the info is identical, if she didn't copy them, she won't be subject to copyright law.

Second, not all information is copyrightable. Facts and ideas are not. On the other hand, the layout of facts is copyrightable. She might want to have a copyright attorney review the information to determine whether it's even something that can be protected by copyright law.

As far as whether what they've requested is acceptable, I'll give you an idea about copyright damages. If their work has been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office (which presumably it was prior to sending the demand letter), they could be eligible to receive statutory damages ranging from $750-30,000. If the infringement is considered willful, the award could be up to $150,000. So some level of risk definitely exists if she's shown to have copied their work.

Hope this helps.