JUDGE REJECTS COPYRIGHT CHALLENGE A federal judge has rejected a challenge to several parts of copyright law that plaintiffs in the case said unnecessarily keep certain works out of the public domain. The nonprofit Internet Archive and the Prelinger Archives argued that so-called orphan works--books that are out of print, old films, and academic articles without significant commercial value--should be easier to archive and make publicly available. At issue in the case was the plaintiffs' contention that current law fundamentally alters the scope of copyright because it does not require owners of works to apply for copyright protection, instead granting protection irrespective of whether it is sought. The judge in the case disagreed, issuing her ruling without hearing arguments. Jennifer S. Granick, executive director of the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford University, which was involved on behalf of the plaintiffs, said the judge's ruling was improper and that the plaintiffs would appeal. Chronicle of Higher Education, 30 November 2004 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2004/11/2004113003n.htm