Rule of law -- a concise summary of the main precedent established. Support with quotes form the book.

Patent, Copyright & Trademark law is the main precedent in my blog. It’s the study of intellectual property. “Intellectual property (IP) is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which property rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law.” - Wikipedia. Being that I am a architect, it is important to follow this rule of law. Intellectual property laws don’t prevent someone from stepping on the owner’s rights. But the laws do give an owner the ammunition to take a trespasser to court. I plan to have design patents for the designs I create. “A design patent lasts fourteen years after the date the patent issues.” NOLO Patent, Copyright & Trademark: Page 53-54. I also plan on having my designs copyrighted. Copyrights are granted for original creative expressions produced by authors, composers, artists, designers, programmers and similar creative individuals. As well as having my work trademarked. “Manufacturers and merchants use trademarks for the sole purpose of distinguishing their products from those of others in the marketplace, not for any functional purpose. A trademark usually consists of a word, phrase, logo, or other graphic symbol.” NOLO Patent, Copyright & Trademark: Page 462. So just opening an architectural firm consists of a lot of work and knowledge of the architectural industry and intellectual property law and will be wise to have an attorney on retainer. To insure that no one can steal, duplicate, or infringe on my creations and also make certain that I am prepared for any unfortunate situations. “An infringement can be treated as a federal crime under the Copyright Act if it is done intentionally and with full knowledge of occurrence. NOLO Patent, Copyright & Trademark: Page 229.