Booksellers' Bill
Encyclopedia
The Booksellers's Bill was a 1774 bill
introduced into the Parliament of Great Britain
in the wake of the important copyright
case of Donaldson v. Beckett
.
In Donaldson a perpetual common law copyright
was denied to booksellers and it was held that copyright was a creation of statute
and could be limited in its duration
. As a result, booksellers sought to have the duration of their copyright extended to 14 years. Under UK parliamentary procedure, the bill passed the House of Commons but was defeated in the House of Lords
and never became an act of parliament
.
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
introduced into the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
in the wake of the important copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
case of Donaldson v. Beckett
Donaldson v. Beckett
Donaldson v Beckett 2 Brown's Parl. Cases 129, 1 Eng. Rep. 837; 4 Burr. 2408, 98 Eng. Rep. 257 ; 17 Cobbett's Parl. Hist. 953 is the ruling by the United Kingdom House of Lords that denied the continued existence of a perpetual common law copyright and held that copyright was a creation of...
.
In Donaldson a perpetual common law copyright
Common law copyright
Common law copyright is the legal doctrine which contends that copyright is a natural right and creators are therefore entitled to the same protections anyone would be in regard to tangible and real property...
was denied to booksellers and it was held that copyright was a creation of statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
and could be limited in its duration
Copyright term
Copyright term is the length of time copyright subsists in a work before it passes into the public domain.- Length of copyright:Copyright subsists for a variety of lengths in different jurisdictions. The length of the term can depend on several factors, including the type of work Copyright term is...
. As a result, booksellers sought to have the duration of their copyright extended to 14 years. Under UK parliamentary procedure, the bill passed the House of Commons but was defeated in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and never became an act of parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
.