[AMRadio] Heathkit Manual Copyright Challenged

[Robert Nickels]

On 12/28/2012 5:14 PM, Larry Szendrei wrote:
> Hmmm... the link to the "Agreement" is dead. 

Here's another archived copy (with the $$$ redacted): 
www.pestingers.net/PDFs/Agreement.pdf

What's interesting is, Don Peterson purchased the "Legacy Manual 
Duplication and Distribution" rights (but NOT the copyrights)  from 
Heathkit when it was in business and legally controlled those rights.   
Heathkit Corp. was later dissolved under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy 
Code which requires that operations cease and a court-appointed trustee 
liquidate the company's assets.  The assets of the company are sold for 
cash by the trustee and whatever is left is divided amongst the 
creditors.    The trustees job is naturally to get the maximum amount of 
money out of the company assets (and to make sure the lawyers get paid 
first, naturally ;-))

I'm not a lawyer, but I think it's accurate to say that control of the 
Heathkit intellectual property  (including all patents, copyrights, 
trademarks, etc)  has shifted from the company to the bankruptcy 
trustee.    Only a lawyer could explain what effect (if any) this has on 
the Duplication and Distribution rights agreement.

73, Bob W9RAN