Lawyers routinely rely on existing materials in their day-to-day practice. We quote from judicial opinions, borrow from prior briefs, and incorporate language from other filings when it is useful or persuasive. We also attach and reproduce third-party content – such as articles, website pages, and excerpts from books – as exhibits in support of our arguments. Because these practices are so commonplace, it is easy to assume that materials filed in court are somehow exempt from the usual rules of copyright law. That assumption, however, is misplaced.
