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Law 281: Introduction to Information Technology Law
The John Marshall Law School
Professor David E. Sorkin
Spring 2007

SYLLABUS

Overview

This course is designed to introduce students to the field of information technology law. Among the topics to be addressed are protection of computer software, information access and control, privacy and security, Internet law, and electronic commerce. This course is particularly appropriate for students who are preparing to participate on the Journal of Computer and Information Law or who are considering advanced studies in information technology law.

The website for the course is located at www.informationtechnologylaw.com.

Instructor

David E. Sorkin, Associate Professor of Law
Office: Room 738
Telephone: (312) 987-2387
E-mail: 7sorkin@jmls.edu
Office hours: Mondays 2:00-3:30 pm, and by appointment

Textbook

Peter B. Maggs, John T. Soma & James A. Sprowl, Internet and Computer Law (2d ed., Thomson/West 2005) (ISBN 0-314-16043-4, publisher's list price $101)

Course requirements and grading

The class meets on Monday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00. Some extended or make-up sessions may be scheduled--most likely, class sessions will extend beyond 8:00 on selected dates to be announced in advance. Class attendance is expected, and students will be held responsible for material covered at all class meetings. Students who miss more than three class sessions will not be eligible to receive credit for the course unless alternative arrangements have been made in advance.

The class will be taught using a lecture-and-discussion format, and students must be prepared to discuss the assigned reading materials in class. If you wish to attend class but are unprepared to discuss the assigned materials, you should leave a signed note to that effect on my desk before class begins.

The course grade will be determined based upon a final examination at the end of the semester, and grades may be adjusted upward or downward by up to one full letter grade based upon attendance and class participation.

We will address topics in the sequence outlined below. Most topics will require approximately one class session each. Additional topics or assigned readings may be added during the semester. You should plan to stay at least one topic ahead in the readings.

Assigned reading materials that do not appear in the casebook generally will be posted on the course website. Additional supplemental and recommended readings may be posted on the website during the semester, so you should check the "supplemental reading materials" page on the website before each class session.

1.  Introduction; Copyright

• Casebook pp. iii-iv, 1-63

2.  Copyright

• Casebook pp. 64-77
• Kelly v. Arriba Soft Corp., 336 F.3d 811 (9th Cir. 2003)
• Perfect 10 v. Google, Inc., 416 F. Supp. 2d 828 (C.D. Cal. 2006)
• Casebook pp. 77-126

3.  Copyright, continued

• Casebook pp. 126-191

4.  Patents and Trade Secrets

• Casebook pp. 201-203, 216-234, 258-267, 281-293, 343-355, 388-415

5.  Trademarks

• Panavision Int'l, L.P. v. Toeppen, 141 F.3d 1316 (9th Cir. 1998)
• Avery Dennison Corp. v. Sumpton, 189 F.3d 868 (9th Cir. 1999)
• Casebook pp. 416-428
• Trademark Dilution Revision Act of 2006, Pub. L. 109-312, 120 Stat. 1730 (approved Oct. 6, 2006) (to be codified at 15 U.S.C. § 1125(c))
• Brookfield Communications Inc. v. West Coast Entertainment Corp., 174 F.3d 1036 (9th Cir. 1999)
• Casebook pp. 449-465

6.  Domain Name Dispute Resolution

• Internet Corp. for Assigned Names & Numbers, Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (Oct. 24, 1999)
• Casebook pp. 428-434
• Vivendi Universal v. Sallen, No. D2001-1121 (WIPO Nov. 7, 2001)
• Casebook pp. 434-437
• Falwell v. Lamparello Int'l, No. FA198936 (NAF Nov. 20, 2003)
• Compl. for Declaratory Relief, Lamparello v. Falwell, 2003 WL 24303842 (E.D. Va. filed Dec. 3, 2003)
• Lamparello v. Falwell, 420 F.3d 309 (4th Cir. 2005)

7.  Internet Jurisdiction

• Zippo Mfg. Co. v. Zippo Dot Com, Inc., 952 F. Supp. 1119 (W.D. Pa. 1997)
• Casebook pp. 477-486
• Dedvukaj v. Maloney, 447 F. Supp. 2d 813 (E.D. Mich. 2006)
• Casebook pp. 486-493
• Agri-Supply Co. v. Agrisupply.Com, 457 F. Supp. 2d 660 (E.D. Va. 2006)

8.  Spam, Trespass, and Computer Crime

• CompuServe Inc. v. Cyber Promotions, Inc., 962 F. Supp. 1015 (S.D. Ohio 1997)
• Casebook pp. 465-476
• EBay, Inc. v. Bidder's Edge, Inc., 100 F. Supp. 2d 1058 (N.D. Cal. 2000)
• Casebook pp. 570-580, 590-592, 598-615
• United States v. Long, 64 M.J. 57 (App. Armed Forces 2006)
• United States v. Steiger, 318 F.3d 1039 (11th Cir. 2003)
• United States v. Councilman, 418 F.3d 67 (1st Cir. 2005) (en banc)

9.  Content Regulation

• Casebook pp. 747-756
• DiMeo v. Max, 433 F. Supp. 2d 523 (E.D. Pa. 2006)
• Barrett v. Rosenthal, 146 P.3d 510 (Cal. 2006)
• Chicago Lawyers’ Committee v. Craigslist, Inc., ___ F. Supp. 2d ____, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82973, 2006 WL 3307439 (N.D. Ill. Nov. 14, 2006)
• Casebook pp. 756-793

10. Electronic Transactions

• Casebook pp. 494-560
• Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, Pub. L. 109-347, title VIII, 120 Stat. 1952 (approved Oct. 13, 2006) (to be codified at 31 U.S.C. §§ 5361-5367)

11.  Privacy

• Casebook pp. 663-730

12.  Right to Accuracy; Telecommunications; Antitrust

• Casebook pp. 731-746, 561-569, 625-662

Posted:  16 Jan 2007