June 16 (Reuters) – A U.S. appeals court said 50 Sherlock
Holmes works published before 1923 by Arthur Conan Doyle are in
the public domain, and others may refer freely to them without
paying licensing fees to the Scottish writer’s estate.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago on Monday
said U.S. copyright law did not cover earlier works depicting
the brilliant detective, including references to Holmes, his
sidekick Dr. Watson, his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty, 221B
Baker Street, and even Holmes’ cocaine use.
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