Supplementary registration may also be appropriate to correct the basis of claim for a statutory renewal claimant or vested owner. Again, the Office may require documents to prove that the basis is accurately stated and appears to be valid. In these exceptional cases, the Office may require that the supporting documentation be recorded and, in such cases, a reference to the recorded document will be added to the certificate of supplementary registration and to the supplementary registration record.
NOTE: Supplementary registration is not appropriate to identify additional statutory renewal claimants or vested owners in a renewal registration record, except in these exceptional cases when the renewal registration record fails to identify a party who was entitled to claim the renewal copyright. See Section 2138.3.
On a case-by-case basis, supplementary registration may also be appropriate to correct owner information or other information, such as the means by which, or the party from whom, that owner obtained the renewal copyright. It may also be used to amplify the record by providing current contact information for this party.
2138.2 Parties Authorized to File for Supplementary Registration
Parties authorized to file for supplementary registration pertaining to renewal registration records include the party who filed the renewal claim and those identified in the record as a statutory renewal claimant, vested owner, or current owner of the renewal copyright, or their representatives. The U.S. Copyright Office may also accept a supplementary registration certified by a successor or assignee of a statutory renewal claimant, a vested owner, or current owner.
2138.3 Inappropriate Use of Supplementary Registration
With regard to renewal registration records, supplementary registration cannot be used:
• To correct or amplify a fact that was established in an original registration record.
Exception: When an original term registration record contains an error or omission of fact pertaining to a previous registration that affects the term of copyright, the U.S. Copyright Office may accept a supplementary registration to add this information to a renewal registration record.
• To identify additional statutory renewal claimants in a timely renewal registration record.
• To identify additional vested owners in a renewal term registration record. Exception: For an exception to this rule, see Section 2138.1.
• To identify the assignee or successor to a statutory renewal claimant or vested owner in a renewal registration record that was filed in the name of the vested owner.
• To identify an assignee or successor who acquired the renewal copyright since the effective date of the renewal registration.
Chapter 2100 : 70
12/22/2014
