An author is bringing a copyright infringement claim against Fox, alleging that the new series Touch was lifted from his novel.

It’s rare for lawsuits if this sort to ever make it to a jury.  Most of them are dismissed.  The problem – generally – is that it’s not enough to show a substantial similarity between one’s own work and a TV show or movie.  One also has to show access to the work – or actual copying.

The above aside, registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office is neither complicated nor overly expensive.  But it’s a good idea to do so, for a number of reasons…