Full question:
My sisters widower (of 8 years) is still receiving 50% of royalties from Sony Music and Capitol/EMI. He has completely estranged himself from our family and has remarried. Is he still entitaled to this money???
- Category: Intellectual Property
- Date:
- State: Georgia
Answer:
A licensing agreement is a legal contract between two parties, known as the licensor and the licensee. In a typical licensing agreement, the licensor grants the licensee the right to produce and sell goods, apply a brand name or trademark, or use patented technology owned by the licensor. In exchange, the licensee usually submits to a series of conditions regarding the use of the licensor's property and agrees to make payments known as royalties.
The answer will be governed by the terms of the agreement that granted the royalties. We suggest you read the terms of the contract involved to determine Sony's rights and obligations regarding payment of royalties. Typically, a contract is made binding on heirs and successors. If the payments were made to his widow and he inherited the money as part of her estate, his later marriage or estrangement from her family doesn't void his right to claim his share of her estate as an heir if they were married at the time of her death.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
