if i created a youth service program and someonelse created the same program but after i did who has legality.

Question

i created the hip hop project and i recently found out that some individuals claim that they created it. these people took the name the concept and format of my entire program. they even have a motoin picture coming out soon called the hip hop project.i developed this program entirely.under common law trade mark the name of the program belongs to me the concept of the program and format is also protected by new york state common law.

Answer 1

Did you create things that are tangible and therefore protected under copyright laws? Did you register the name and are they using the name ad your tangible material ideas? Are they using any language your actually put on paper? Did they use images you created? Dd they steal a list of your clients? "The Hip Hop Project" sounds pretty generic to me. What happens in these sorts of frustrating situations is you may have talked alot about your ideas, and simply made the mistake of educating other people about the ideas you had and they made them happen. Unless you actually had a program going that materials were from, it sounds like the case may be that they heard your ideas (or your beginning ideas) and ra with them. That's called competition. When you have a good idea, keep it to yourself until you have it protected. It is not illegal to act on someone else's daydream--it is only illegal -an d civil matter--to infringe on copyrighted tangible materials, such as your manuals, your name, marketing images, etc. You have to prove intent. If they use your logo and only one little part is different, they have infringed on your logo. If you only told them you have a good idea for a logo and they copy it but you never create the image on a disc they saw, forget it.

Answer 2

Did you actually file for trademark status? Normally, it's whomever files first, unless you can somehow PROVE that you had it first. (Just saying you did isn't proof)

Answer 3

sounds like they do because they actually executed the idea, while your where just twiddleing your thumbs with a "plan"...

Answer 4

GET A LAWYER THEN!