Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal
Abstract
The Copyright Claims Board (CCB), established under the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020, was intended to provide an accessible forum for resolving small-value copyright disputes, particularly for pro se parties. However, the CCB has failed to fulfill this promise, with nearly 90% of pro se claims being dismissed without resolution on the merits. The CCB's strict compliance requirements and failure to liberally construe pro se claims have created a system more burdensome than federal court, contrary to Congress' intent. The article proposes reforms to align the CCB's practices with its original purpose of accessibility and simplicity for unrepresented parties.
Disciplines
Dispute Resolution and Arbitration | Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law | Intellectual Property Law | Law
Recommended Citation
Melissa Eckhause,
Closed Doors to Justice: How the Copyright Claims Board is Shutting Out Pro Se Litigants,
43
Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J.
1
(2025).
Available at:
https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cardozoaelj/vol43/iss1/3
Included in
Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Commons, Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Commons, Intellectual Property Law Commons