Recent Announcements

March 20, 2024

Copyright Royalty Judges Publish Correcting Amendment to Determination of Royalty Rates and Terms for Making and Distributing Phonorecords (Phonorecords IV)

The Copyright Royalty Judges published a correcting amendment to the regulations governing terms for making and distributing physical and digital phonorecords to add capitalization to certain defined terms and to correct a term regarding late fees. For details regarding the correcting amendment, click here.


More Announcements

About Us

The Copyright Royalty and Distribution Reform Act of 2004 (CRDRA) established the Copyright Royalty Judges program in the Library of Congress. The Copyright Royalty Judges (Judges) oversee the copyright law’s statutory licenses, which permit qualified parties to use multiple copyrighted works without obtaining separate licenses from each copyright owner.

The Judges determine and adjust royalty rates and terms applicable to the statutory copyright licenses. They also oversee distribution of royalties deposited with the Copyright Office by certain statutory licensees and adjudicate controversies relating to the distributions.

The Judges are appointed by the Librarian of Congress to serve staggered six-year terms. Each may be reappointed to subsequent six-year terms.

Under the CRDRA, each judge must have a law degree and at least seven years’ legal experience. In addition, one judge must have significant knowledge of copyright law, one must have significant knowledge of economics, and one must have a minimum of five years’ judicial or quasi-judicial experience. The board of Judges consists of David P. Shaw, (chief judge), Judge David R. Strickler (economics), and Judge Steve Ruwe (copyright).

David P. Shaw, Chief Copyright Royalty Judge

David P. ShawChief Copyright Royalty Judge

David Strickler, Copyright Royalty Judge

David R. StricklerCopyright Royalty Judge

Steve Ruwe, Copyright Royalty Judge

Steve RuweCopyright Royalty Judge

Read more