Viacom broadcast indecency ruling [FCC] News
Viacom broadcast indecency ruling [FCC]

In the matter of Viacom, Inc., Federal Communications Commission, ruling adopted November 9, 2004 and released November 23, 2004 [adopting a consent decree under which Viacom agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle FCC allegations of indecency on its radio and television stations]. Read the full text of the FCC order here [PDF]. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

THIS DAY @ LAW

US Congress approves first Patent Act

On April 10, 1790, Congress approved the US's first Patent Act. The Patent Act of 1790 allowed inventors to maintain "sole and exclusive right and liberty of making, constructing, using and vending to others" a patented invention for fourteen years. The Act furthermore created the US Patent Board, the precursor to the modern US Patent Office. Read the current US Patent Law from the Cornell University Law School.

Hugo Grotius born

Hugo Grotius, Dutch jurist, statesman and father of international law was born in Delft, Holland, on April 10, 1583. His best-known work is De Jure Belli ac Pacis (On the Law of War and Peace), which he published in 1625.