PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Apr 24, 2008
Orphan Works Act of 2008 - Limits the remedies in a civil action brought for infringement of copyright in an orphan work if the infringer proves that: (1) the infringer performed and documented a reasonably diligent search in good faith to locate the copyright owner before using the work, but was unable to locate the owner; (2) a Notice of Use was filed with the Register of Copyrights before the work was used; and (3) the infringing use of the work provided attribution to the owner of the copyright, if known.
Permits an award of reasonable compensation for the use of the infringed work, except if: (1) the infringement is performed without any commercial advantage and for primarily a charitable, religious, scholarly, or educational purpose; and (2) the infringer ceases the infringement expeditiously after receiving notice of the claim for infringement.
Directs the Register of Copyrights to: (1) undertake a certification process for the establishment of an electronic database to facilitate the search for pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works that are subject to copyright protection; and (2) study and report to Congress on remedies for copyright infringement claims by an individual copyright owner or a related group of copyright owners seeking small amounts of monetary relief.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the function of the deposit requirement in the copyright registration system .
People & committees
Rep. Berman, Howard L. [D-CA-28] · D–CA
Legislative record
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Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Jan 21, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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