Recent Announcements

January 24, 2024

Federal Register Publishes Correction to Commencement of a Proceeding to Determine Royalty Rates and Terms for Digital Performance of Sound Recordings and Making of Ephemeral Copies to Facilitate Those Performances (Web VI)

The Federal Register published a correction to the due date for Petitions to Participate in the Web VI rate determination proceeding. Parties wishing to participate in the rate determination proceeding must file their Petition to Participate and pay the accompanying $150 filing fee no later than February 5, 2024. For more information, click here.


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About Us

The Copyright Royalty and Distribution Reform Act of 2004 (CRDRA) established the Copyright Royalty Judges program in the Library of Congress. The Copyright Royalty Judges (Judges) oversee the copyright law’s statutory licenses, which permit qualified parties to use multiple copyrighted works without obtaining separate licenses from each copyright owner.

The Judges determine and adjust royalty rates and terms applicable to the statutory copyright licenses. They also oversee distribution of royalties deposited with the Copyright Office by certain statutory licensees and adjudicate controversies relating to the distributions.

The Judges are appointed by the Librarian of Congress to serve staggered six-year terms. Each may be reappointed to subsequent six-year terms.

Under the CRDRA, each judge must have a law degree and at least seven years’ legal experience. In addition, one judge must have significant knowledge of copyright law, one must have significant knowledge of economics, and one must have a minimum of five years’ judicial or quasi-judicial experience. The board of Judges consists of David P. Shaw, (chief judge), Judge David R. Strickler (economics), and Judge Steve Ruwe (copyright).

David P. Shaw, Chief Copyright Royalty Judge

David P. ShawChief Copyright Royalty Judge

David Strickler, Copyright Royalty Judge

David R. StricklerCopyright Royalty Judge

Steve Ruwe, Copyright Royalty Judge

Steve RuweCopyright Royalty Judge

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