Tap any paragraph to write a margin note. Your notes collect in the Desk below the text and file under cases with @. The side-by-side margin rail opens on a larger screen.

Code · U.S. Code · Title 17 - COPYRIGHTS · CHAPTER 12— COPYRIGHT PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS · § 1204

§ 1204. Criminal offenses and penalties

216 words·~1 min read·/usc/title-17/section-1204

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)In General.— Any person who violates section 1201 or 1202 willfully and for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain—
(1)shall be fined not more than $500,000 or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, for the first offense; and
(2)shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both, for any subsequent offense.
(b)Limitation for Nonprofit Library, Archives, Educational Institution, or Public Broadcasting Entity.— Subsection
(a)shall not apply to a nonprofit library, archives, educational institution, or public broadcasting entity (as defined under section 118(f)).
(c)Statute of Limitations.— No criminal proceeding shall be brought under this section unless such proceeding is commenced within 5 years after the cause of action arose.
(Added Pub. L. 105–304, title I, § 103(a), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2876; amended Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title V, § 5004(b)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–593; Pub. L. 111–295, § 6(f)(3), Dec. 9, 2010, 124 Stat. 3181.)
Connections1 cite this
8 references not yet in our index
  • Pub. L. 105–304, title I, § 103(a)
  • 112 Stat. 2876
  • Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title V, § 5004(b)]
  • 113 Stat. 1536
  • Pub. L. 111–295, § 6(f)(3)
  • 124 Stat. 3181
  • Pub. L. 111–295
  • Pub. L. 106–113
Citation graph
cites case law
§ 1204
Criminal offenses and penalties
Fed. Reg.×1
Pub. L.Pub. L. 105–304, title I, § 103(a)
Stat.112 Stat. 2876
Pub. L.Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title V, § 5004(b)]
Stat.113 Stat. 1536
Pub. L.Pub. L. 111–295, § 6(f)(3)
Cites 8 · showing 5Cited by 1 across 1 source
★   the supreme law of the land   ★
Don't Tread on Me
E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one

"If you don't know your rights, you don't have any."

Marginalia · a citizen's law index
A research desk, not legal advice. Always read the cited source before relying on a summary.
Questions or an issue? support@self-law.org
disclaimerMarginalia is a research index, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal, tax, or financial advice and no attorney–client relationship is formed by using it. Statutes, regulations, and case law change; summaries, search results, AI output, and member posts may be incomplete, out of date, or wrong. Any interpretation drawn from material on this site should be validated by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before you act on it.