BLANK FORM

blank form.Copyright. A form, usu. one for record-keeping and business purposes, that does not convey information until it has been filled in. • Blank forms are not eligible for copyright protection. — Also termed business form. See BLANK-FORMS RULE. BLANK-FORMS RULE

blank-forms rule.Copyright. The principle that forms are not protectable by copyright if they are designed for recording information but do not themselves convey any information. • The rule, first promulgated by the U.S. Supreme Court in Baker v. Selden, 101 U.S. 99 (1879), is now a U.S.

Copyright Office regulation, 37CFR § 202.1(c). See MERGER DOCTRINE (1). [Cases:

Copyrights and Intellectual Property  10.4. C.J.S. Copyrights and Intellectual Property §§ 11–12, 16, 92, 101.][Blacks Law 8th]