I'm looking into whether or not this particular petition is still open for signatures; if not, I'll at least get us in the loop so that whenever the organizers take next steps we are alerted and can be involved.

Luis

On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 2:03 PM, Geoff Brigham <gbrigham@wikimedia.org> wrote:

I agree.   Our policy for making such a decision may be found here (summarized below).

I don't anticipate any issue for staff approval.   

Does anybody on this list object?  

If not, can someone start a quick RfC? 

Collaborative Advocacy

We collaborate with another organization to take action on a particular policy or political question.

• Example: Signing a petition started by the Electronic Frontier Foundation against Internet censorship.

Review and Approval

• Staff: General Counsel (approval), CFA (approval), Head of Communications (consultation), and Executive Director (approval)
• Community: Advocacy Advisory Group (consultation), RfC (consultation if time permits), and General notice
• Board: Possible consultation

On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 1:23 PM, Mathias Schindler <mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de> wrote:

FYI. (it is my opinion that WMF should support any effort promoting
such an amendment to the copyright act)

https://law.resource.org/pub/edicts.html

TEXT OF THE PETITION

To promote access to justice, equal protection, innovation in the
legal marketplace, and to codify long-standing public policy, the
Copyright Act of the United States, 17 U.S.C., should be amended as
follows:

“Edicts of government, such as judicial opinions, administrative
rulings, legislative enactments, public ordinances, and similar
official legal documents are not copyrightable for reasons of public
policy. This applies to such works whether they are Federal, State, or
local as well as to those of foreign governments.”

This language comes directly from Section 206.01, Compendium of Office
Practices II, U.S. Copyright Office (1984). It reflects clear and
established Supreme Court precedent on the matter in cases such as
Wheaton v. Peters, 33 U.S. (8 Pet.) 591 (1834) and Banks v.
Manchester, 128 U.S. 244 (1888). The law belongs to the people, who
should be free to read, know, and speak the laws by which they choose
to govern themselves.



--
Mathias Schindler
Projektmanager
Wikimedia Deutschland e.V.
web: http://www.wikimedia.de
mail: mathias.schindler@wikimedia.de

Ceterum censeo opera officiales esse liberandam -
http://urheberrecht.wikimedia.de/

Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e.
V. Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts
Berlin-Charlottenburg unter der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig
anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für Körperschaften I Berlin,
Steuernummer 27/681/51985.

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--
Geoff Brigham
General Counsel
Wikimedia Foundation
149 New Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
+1 (415) 839-6885 ext. 6750
gbrigham@wikimedia.org

California Registered In-House Counsel

This message might have confidential or legally privileged information in it. If you have received this message by accident, please delete it and let us know about the mistake. For legal reasons, I may only serve as an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation. This means I may not give legal advice to or serve as a lawyer for community members, volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity.

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--

Luis Villa
Deputy General Counsel
Wikimedia Foundation
415.839.6885 ext. 6810

NOTICE: This message may be confidential or legally privileged. If you have received it by accident, please delete it and let us know about the mistake. As an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation, for legal/ethical reasons I cannot give legal advice to, or serve as a lawyer for, community members, volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity.