What are the remedies for infringement?
The most accurate information can be found in Chapter 5 of the U.S. Copyright Law. In general, the basic range is from $750 to $30,000 per work infringed. However, if a copyright owner can prove the infringement was willful or the infringer is proceeding even though they are aware of the violations, the court may increase damages to $150,000 per work. In the infringement involved commercial or financial gain, criminal penalties may be invoked. The court can also award court costs and attorney’s fees. If the infringer can prove they were not aware and had no reason to believe their actions were a violation of the law, the court may decrease the damages to as low as $200.00 per work. If a nonprofit educational institution, library, or archive can reasonably prove that fair use may have applied, the damages can be withdrawn.
