Navigating the Copyright Alternative in Small Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act in an Education and Library Environment

Abstract

The Copyright Alternative in Small Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act of 2019 became law at the end of 2020. While it purports to offer a simpler process for settling certain copyright matters, its processes are complex. This article examines those processes and discusses the benefits and limitations of the new law. The new Copyright Claims Board began operations in early summer of 2022. While the CASE Act can affect all copyright holders and users of material protected by copyright, its greatest impact may be on service providers. When an educational institution or library acts as a service provider and follows the removal or disabling processes under section 512 of the copyright law, several consequences result. This may increase the involvement of those entities in the section 512 removal and disabling requests and other processes.