Final answer:
Courts consider several factors to determine if the use of copyrighted material is fair, including the purpose and character of the use, the nature of the copyrighted work, and the amount used. Copyright is a legal protection for original works of authorship, lasting for the author's life plus 70 years. Noncommercial uses may favor fair use.
Step-by-step explanation:
In determining whether limited use of copyrighted material may be permitted as "fair use," courts will consider a comprehensive set of factors. These factors include: the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; the nature of the copyrighted work; the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole.
Copyright protection is automatically bestowed upon original works of authorship that are fixed in a tangible form of expression. Copyright law is a form of legal protection to prevent copying, for commercial purposes, original works of authorship, including books and music.
The protection lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. When considering fair use, courts evaluate whether the use is transformative and adds new expression or meaning and whether it is noncommercial, which can weigh in favor of fair use.