. a. Are the .mp3 files of that CD on my computer legal or do they now belong to the thief too?

in theory, since stolen property still belongs to you (and if recovered will be returned) you still own those mp3’s.

. b. Can I re-burn a CD from the .mp3s and is that legal?

see above; so yes.

. c. Does me having a backup copy of the files on my computer mean I can’t make an insurance claim?

i’d put in the claim on the 5 disk changer, the cost of a few cds (should be) marginal in relation to that. In any case, i only use CD-r’s in my car so i always have the orriginals.

. d. What if it is destroyed (for example by a fire) rather than stolen?

you are entitled fair use rights; section 1008 of us copyright law permits non-commercial copying by consumers. By this law, you can make as meny copies as you want to just dont sell any and if you sell the CD you must destroy all copies.

2. If I purchase a CD and it is subsequently scratched or broken to the point where it is not playable, can I legally download the songs from that CD from a file-sharing network?

By the above, this should never become a problem. I could see fair use expanding to downloading a copy if yours is destroyed; riaa might not like that thou…

3. If I purchase the DVD for a movie, could I legally download songs from the soundtrack for that movie from a file-sharing network?

i’d say not for this one; however its fairly trivial to put the dvd into your computer and rip the songs from it.

4. If I purchase a CD that our entire family listens to, and then my daughter leaves for College, can she legally take a copy of an .mp3 ripped from that CD with her on her computer? or – similarly – could she take the disc and could I keep the .mp3 on my computer?

Again, i’d lean towards this being allowed under fair use laws.

People dont seem to realise what their rights are under fair use laws. That is what you should be educating people about.

I’m just a free thinking person who reads, checks what the news is and actually questions whether people are actually helping or hindering the whole issue of our fighting the copyright cartels. I don’t blindly follow the first elderly self appointed messiah who crops up, I question his credentials.

Patti Santangelo told the interviewer that Ray Beckerman had charged her over $24k on the O’Brien show. Check for yourself : http://www.p2pnet.net/story/7446

As for winning any P2P cases, Beckerman hasn’t to my certain knowledge ever won one single relevant case. Check his own blog if you don’t believe me and I challenge you to post up evidence of one single victory. You wont because you cant

Some of you Beckerman fanboys need to open your eyes and accept the fact that he is no saviour, he is simply screwing what he can out of a minority cause. Like $24 + k out of an impoverished single mother that he dumped before she had even made it into trial. Talk about compassion, Jeez.

His constant blogging and lack of professionalism got him the sack from his former employers, Beldock Hoffman and Levine (check slyck) and he is a widely ridiculed conspiracy crackpot .

Nobody in politics takes him seriously, here’s one of him ranting on about about election fraud : http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2004/12/what-are-they-hiding-major-television.html Google is full of Beckerman’s wild and always discredited claims.

I think that Ray Beckerman must be the answer to the RIAAs prayers when he walks into court. Every time he fails, which is every time he appears, he always blames the judge for one thing or another.

This guy is a complete menace to the P2P community, just as he was to those who questioned the last US election beforehand. And if you cant see that, then you deserve to be represented by a clown like him. But don’t expect us all to buy his snake oil

Interesting that you know that!
did patty show you the bills, or are you somehow involved with the peoples enemies (aka the RIAA) that you know the amount?!

“So far as I can tell, he has never once won any P2P related cases,”
Where do you get your knowledge from? From the national RIAA terrorist headquarters regarding the won or lost cases numbers?

What I have heard so far hasen’t the RIAA either “won” any case that was a real case with full trial and jury and all this stuff!
All the RIAA has gotten so far are settlements and default judgment rulings.
But not one case with a real proceeding of the law!
Now comes you!

(and yes, I also think number 7 was a question of somebody associated with RIAA. The specific questions he asked are what a RIAA troll (an IFPI spokesperson in germany to be correct!) has addressed more then once to disinform the public of their wrong view of the rights people have regarding the music)

__
Alter_Fritz

So far as I can tell, he has never once won any P2P related cases, and his appointment by hapless clients seems to guarantee the RIAA complete success. In the case of Patti Santangelo, he billed her almost $25k before he dumped her.

I know this will spark up a flurry of RB fanboys, but I really can’t see what this guy has done for filesharers, law or anyone else but further his own bloated ego at the expense of the P2P community.

Just my opinion, and I guess I am as entitled to express it as the next person is to express theirs.