Misappropriation of intellectual property
This law says it is a crime to copy, record, sell, or rent someone else's music, sounds, or performances without permission — especially to make money from it. It also covers selling recordings that do not show the maker's name and address on the label. The law does not apply to TV or radio stations doing normal broadcasts, cable TV companies, or people making copies just for themselves at home with no money involved. The crime is usually a misdemeanor, but it becomes more serious if 100 or more items were involved or if the person has broken this law before.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
570.225. of — — definitions. — 1. A person commits the of misappropriation of intellectual property if he or she, without the of the owner:
(1) Copies any sounds on any medium now known or later developed on which sounds are recorded, with the purpose to sell or cause to be sold for profit or used to promote the sale of any article on which sounds are red, except that this section shall only apply to sound recordings initially prior to February 15, 1972;
(2) Records sounds or images of any performance whether live before an audience or transmitted by wire or through the air by radio or television, with the intent to sell the performance or cause it to be sold for profit;
(3) Offers for sale, sells, or processes for such purposes any article that has been produced in violation of (1) or (2) of 1 of this section, knowing, or having to know, that the sounds or images thereon have been so copied or recorded without the consent of the owner; or
(4) Advertises, rents, sells, offers for rental or sale, or possesses for such purposes any medium now known or later developed on which sounds or images are recorded if the article's label, cover, box or jacket does not contain in clearly readable print the name and address of the .
2. This section shall not apply to:
(1) Any radio or television broadcaster who transfers any such sounds as part of, or in connection with, a radio or television broadcast transmission or for ;
(2) Any person transferring any such sounds at home for his or her personal use without any being derived by such person or any other person from such transfer; or
(3) Any cable television company that transfers any such sounds as part of its regular cable television .
3. The offense of misappropriation of intellectual property is a unless:
(1) One hundred or more articles were involved; or
(2) A person is of violating this section, and that person has previously been found guilty of a violation of this section;
4. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
(1) "", works that consist of a series of related images which are intrinsically intended to be shown by the use of machines, electronic equipment or other devices, now known or later developed, together with accompanying sounds, if any;
(2) "Manufacturer", the person who transfers or causes to be transferred any sounds or images to the particular article, medium, recording or other physical embodiment of such sounds or images then in ;
(3) " pictures", audiovisual works consisting of a series of related images which, when shown in , impart an impression of motion, together with accompanying sounds, if any;
(4) "Owner", the person who owns the sounds of any performance not yet fixed in a medium of expression, or the original of sounds embodied in the or medium now known or later developed for the use of reproducing sounds, or other articles or media upon which sound is or may be recorded, and from which the copied recorded sounds are directly or indirectly derived;
(5) "Person", any , or other .
Tap any gold-underlined word to see what it means.
Source & history notes
(L. 1977 S.B. 92 § 1, A.L. 1993 S.B. 180, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491) Effective 1-01-17
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.