If we caught a spouse using fraud on our credit card and they plead guilty in small claims then why do we still have to pay it?

This is not an Intellectual property question. I'll recatagorize for you.

Once a patent has been granted, from what point in time can a current patent-pending applicant sue for backdated royalties?

The patent owner may seek damages from the date the infringed claims have been published. The damages would be reasonable royalties, which will be...

Defamation

Not defamation. Just a bad day! You may want to look at the contract that you signed to see if you are entitled to compensation for your...

If a public domain has been republished would restrictions be written somewhere. Example republishing Peter Pan.

If the work is in the public domain you will not have any restrictions on republishing. Any information about the copyright are typically on the...

Need a patent attorney to give me a fair market value for a patented product I own

A patent attorney should be part of your negotiating team in order to license your product. Valuation of patent rights are usually a collaboration...

Would it be considered copyright infringement to use Google images to make a jigsaw puzzle for myself to hang on my wall?

You will clearly be infringing the copyrights in question. Whether you infringement is substantial enough for the owner(s) to pursue you or for a...

Can I take a photo that is already on the internet and redo my own version of it and copyright or trademark it?

The answer is usually no! what you are doing is creating a derivative work which is an infringement on the copyright of the original work(s). As ...

As long as your product does not infringe the Patent or Trademark rights of others, you may repackage and sell it under your own mark (name and/or...

Your potential liability depends on how recognizable or obscure the lines that you are using are. The better the lines the better chance that you...

Do I need to get permission from band/artist/performer to use their names in a book I publish?

These bands and musicians have right's of publicity and many have registered trademarks, as well. Accordingly, if you use the artist's or band's...