Legal Issues When Writing about Real People

Contracts Legal Resources

May 1, 2018

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Recently there has been an upsurge of cases attempting to limit the use, without consent or compensation, of a celebrity’s name, picture or story in creative works. While the recent cases have involved TV films and videogames, the statutes and the decisions of the courts will apply to all creative works, including fiction and non-fiction, books, plays, movies, etc. What does all this mean for authors’ ability to write about real people in either fiction or nonfiction? What do authors need to be wary of when writing about real people? Does it matter if they are deceased?