Can I take a photograph (where permissible) of a work of art in a museum, and reproduce my photograph of a masterpiece?

If the copyright of the "masterpiece" expired (check with a Copyright attorney), and that is the only thing you are photographing, and the museum...

Copyright infringment

Not at all. CocaCola Company will take you down faster than you blink and you will be liable for trademark infringement at the least. DON'T DO IT.

Domain name and trademark

Domains and trademarks are two different animals and may be , under certain circumstances, be registered to two different entities. having said...

Yes, it would be unlawful.

I'm a film director and just finished a feature film. I haven't signed a contract with the producer. Who owns the rights?

As my colleague stated, you have a complex situation. I addition to the copyright issues, you have an oral contract that needs to be analyzed. ...

Will a contract protect me when working with freelance contractors overseas?

If the amount of the contract is payable through PayPal, I suspect the cost of enforcing the contract will be out of your pocket. If you want to...

Ok material that is not copyrighted but is not owned by me, am i allowed to use it without any legal repercussions?

You are incorrect. The material is copyrighted, just perhaps the copyright was not registered by the author. Attorneys spend years to learn how...

Can I be sued for an idea that I trademarked?

Not really, ideas are not protectable, just the embodiment of an idea may be protectable. May be protectable because there are many ifs. It the...

How do I check up on a company's ethics?

Although the answer to your question has nothing to do with IP, the answer is simple: Ask their competitors, who usually would not mince words. ...

If I put my tshirt artwork online to sell, is there any way to keep people from stealing those ideas and selling them elsewhere?

Yes there is. The art on the t-shirt, if it is original creations, then it would be protected by copyright. Contact a Copyright attorney to...