The Copyright and Industrial Design Sub-area includes:

• copyright disputes concerning works such as books, computer programs, architectural drawings, musical and artistic works and other subject matter such as films and sound recordings.
• design disputes concerning the distinctive shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation of products in an industrial or commercial context.
• other disputes, including circuit layout disputes concerning layout designs for integrated circuits and computer chips.

The NPA practice note sets out the arrangements for the management of intellectual property proceedings:

Other practice notes which may be relevant to this NPA include:

Filing fees for commencing a proceeding in this Sub-area may apply. Information about Court fees, including the fees payable and circumstances where an exemption or deferral can be given is available in Forms, Fees & Costs or from the Registry.

Parties should consider whether it is necessary to file a Genuine steps statement (Form 16) in certain proceedings in this NPA - see r 8.02 of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) and the Civil Dispute Resolution Act 2011 (Cth) (including sections 6, 7 and 16).

1.  Commencing copyright proceedings

A copyright owner of original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work and sound recordings, cinematographic films and television broadcast may commence a claim for infringement under Part V of the Copyright Act 1968 by filing the following forms:

2.  Applications under the Circuit Layouts Act 1989

Disputes concerning layout designs for integrated circuits and computer chips include:

(a)  Determination of equitable remuneration

A party may apply to the Court under section 20(2) of the Circuit Layouts Act 1989 for a determination of equitable remuneration in relation to an eligible layout by filing:

(b) Determination of the terms of the doing of an act

A party may apply to the Court under s 25(4) of the Circuit Layouts Act 1989 for a determination of the terms of the doing of an act in relation to an eligible layout by filing:

For further procedural and case management information you should refer to the Central Practice Note and the Intellectual Property Practice Note.

• Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)
• Designs Act 2003 (Cth)
• Circuit Layouts Act 1989 (Cth)
• Evidence Act 1995 (Cth)

• 1 Jul 2026: Chapcon Building Services Pty Ltd v Spectrum Homes Qld Pty Ltd (No 2) [2026] FCA 888
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – proceedings commenced in 2023 – doubt expressed in prior judgment about ownership of copyright – statement of claim amended on 20 April 2023, 6 November 2023, 29 April 2025 and 14 May 2026 but no amendment to allegations relating to ownership of copyright – late joinder of second applicant caused trial dates to be vacated…
  Judge: DOWNES J
• 25 Jun 2026: EV20 Consulting Group Pty Ltd v Paperless Warehousing Pty Ltd (No 4) [2026] FCA 805
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – rule 39.05(a) of the Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) – application to set aside default judgment – where applicant failed to file a Notice of address for service after his solicitors ceased acting for him – where applicant has no satisfactory explanation for failure to do so – where applicant aware of proceedings and…
  Judge: BURLEY J
• 23 Jun 2026: Comino v Watson Webb Pty Ltd (Costs) [2026] FCAFC 88
  COSTS – whether single costs order should be made for three proceedings – whether an issue-by-issue approach to costs appropriate – whether costs order by primary judge should be set aside or varied – whether costs should be assessed on a lump-sum basis
  Judge: MOSHINSKY, DOWNES AND OWENS JJ
• 4 Jun 2026: Byrnecut Australia Pty Ltd v Develop Global Ltd [2026] FCA 738
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application to strike out various paragraphs of the Amended Statement of Claim – whether information claimed to be confidential is identified with sufficient specificity – whether lack of specificity can be remedied by identifying information which is not claimed to be confidential – strike out allowed in part –…
  Judge: JACKMAN J
• 26 May 2026: McCallum v Projector Films Pty Ltd (Liability Orders) [2026] FCA 653
  COPYRIGHT – where liability judgment delivered - form of declaratory relief in relation to infringements of moral rights – form of order regarding form of credits appearing in documentary – Court’s power to make orders in relation to an infringement of moral rights under s 195AZA of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) – necessity of orders for the…
  Judge: SHARIFF J
• 21 May 2026: Comino v Watson Webb Pty Ltd [2026] FCAFC 66
  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – confidential information – challenge to finding that entire design drawing constituted confidential information – where contended that confidential information in drawing was owned by both parties by reason of finding of joint ownership of design – challenge to finding of obligation of confidence in circumstances where…
  Judge: MOSHINSKY, DOWNES AND OWENS JJ
• 15 May 2026: Lu v Gong [2026] FCA 612
  PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application for deemed or substituted service of fourth cross-respondent who resides in China
  Judge: O'BRYAN J
• 10 Mar 2026: Bodum AG v H.A.G Import Corpn (Australia) Pty Ltd [2026] FCA 238
  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – application for injunctive relief for breaches of ss 18, 29(1)(a), (g) and (h) of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), Sch 2 (Australian Consumer Law) and passing off CONSUMER LAW – misleading or deceptive conduct – passing off – use of the shape and design features of the applicants’ double walled glasses but where …
  Judge: RAPER J
• 27 Feb 2026: McCallum v Projector Films Pty Ltd (Liability Hearing) [2026] FCA 173
  COPYRIGHT – claim for infringement of moral rights under Part IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) – dispute over which of one or each of two persons is to be attributed and credited as the “principal director” of a documentary film – right of attribution of authorship and right against false attribution – meaning of the words “director” and…
  Judge: SHARIFF J
• 25 Nov 2025: Universal City Studios LLC v Telstra Limited (No 2) [2025] FCA 1485
  COPYRIGHT – application for orders disabling access to new means of access to certain target online locations (Additional Urgent Access Means) – where site blocking and ancillary orders previously made with respect to target online locations under s 115A of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) – where target online locations subsequently made available…
  Judge: HALLEY J