Hi Cherie, I did a quick search on the internet and found http://law.gov.au/publications/copyrightaus97.htm which says: "Copyright subsists indefinitely in a literary, dramatic or musical work that has not been published, performed in public, broadcast or sold as a recording during the life of the author. If the work is posthumously published, the copyright will terminate at the end of 50 years after that event." "Copyright can be dealt with in the same way as other forms of personal property. It can be assigned, licensed, given away, sold, included in a will, or passed on according to the laws relating to intestacy or bankruptcy." It would appear to me that you would have to contact the heirs of the author who should be able to assign the copyright to you. The Australian copyright regulations and legislation are found at: http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/pastereg/0/81/top.htm http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca1968133/index.html Hope this helps Mike Goad At 05:14 PM 3/10/00 +1000, Cherie Thompson wrote: >Hi All, >I have some unfinished stories written by a friend who >died in 1994! >Is it possible for me to use these stories by way of acknowledging >my departed friend at the beginning of the story by saying e.g. >"from an idea by such and such" or >"handed to me by so and so after the death of so and so" >I do have photocopies of the original stories complete with spelling >typing and punctuation errors. >Currently they are of no value as they are incomplete. >I would appreciate some clear advice on this matter. >TIA, >Cherie Thompson > >On the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. > _>^..^<_ >Gold Coast Genealogy >www.extra.net.au/~gcg > >Family History Names I Seek:- >ARNOLD, BEE, CREED, DIXON, FIELDER, FERGUSON, >FOSTER, GILL, IRWIN, JAMES, KINKADE, MANGAN, PINDER, >PENDERGAST, REARDON, STEWART, THOMPSON. > >Queensland State Reporter for Australian Family >Tree Connections (AFTC) magazine. > > > >==== COPYRIGHT Mailing List ==== >Freepages, that is free web pages >http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/press/freepages.html > >============================== >Free Web space. ANY amount. ANY subject. >RootsWeb's Freepages put you in touch with millions. >http://cgi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/acctform.cgi