Page:Penguin Books v. New Christian Church of Full Endeavor.pdf/25

 A certificate of registration from the United States Register of Copyrights constitutes  evidence of the ownership of a valid copyright. 17 U.S.C. § 410(c); former 17 U.S.C. § 209 (1909 Copyright Act). FIP originally obtained a certificate of registration for the Course in 1975. The burden thus falls upon Defendants to rebut the  validity of such certificate.

Defendants assert three defenses to rebut the presumption of validity: (1) lack of originality; (2) fraud on the Copyright Office; and (3) chain of title. Other affirmative defenses are addressed in Section III below.


 * 1.