Copyright Royalty Board
Source: https://www.crb.gov
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:20
Copyright Royalty Board
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The CRB has a system for viewing filings online called eCRB. eCRB went live on June 17, 2017. Some CRB filings dated June 16, 2017, or earlier are available through eCRB. Eventually, all CRB filings will be there.
March 13, 2026
Judges Announce Royalty Rates and Terms for Digital Performance of Sound Recordings and Making of Ephemeral Copies to Facilitate Those Performances
The Copyright Royalty Judges announce four final rules governing the rates and terms for the digital performance of sound recordings, via webcasting, by (1) noncommercial educational webcasters, (2) Educational Media Foundation, (3) commercial broadcasters, and (4) certain public radio stations, and for their making of ephemeral recordings necessary for the facilitation of such transmissions for the period commencing January 1, 2026, and ending on December 31, 2030.
The Copyright Royalty Judges announce a final rule governing the rates and terms for the digital performances of sound recordings by new subscription services and for the making of ephemeral recordings necessary to facilitate those transmissions for the period commencing January 1, 2026, and ending on December 31, 2030.
For more information, click here:
https://www.crb.gov/fedreg/
More Announcements
About Us
The Copyright Royalty and Distribution Reform Act of 2004 (CRDRA) established the Copyright Royalty Judges program in the Library of Congress. The Copyright Royalty Judges (Judges) oversee the copyright law’s statutory licenses, which permit qualified parties to use multiple copyrighted works without obtaining separate licenses from each copyright owner.
The Judges determine and adjust royalty rates and terms applicable to the statutory copyright licenses. They also oversee distribution of royalties deposited with the Copyright Office by certain statutory licensees and adjudicate controversies relating to the distributions.
The Judges are appointed by the Librarian of Congress to serve staggered six-year terms. Each may be reappointed to subsequent six-year terms.
Under the CRDRA, each judge must have a law degree and at least seven years’ legal experience. In addition, one judge must have significant knowledge of copyright law, one must have significant knowledge of economics, and one must have a minimum of five years’ judicial or quasi-judicial experience. The board of Judges consists of
Trevor Jefferson (interim chief judge),
Judge David R. Strickler
(economics), and
Judge Steve Ruwe
(copyright).
Trevor Jefferson
Interim Chief Copyright Royalty Judge
David R. Strickler
Copyright Royalty Judge
Steve Ruwe
Copyright Royalty Judge
Read more
Trevor Jefferson
Interim Chief Copyright Royalty Judge
December 2025 – present
The Library of Congress appointed Judge Trevor Jefferson as Interim Chief Copyright Royalty Judge while the Library works to fill the term vacated upon the retirement of Judge David Shaw.
Judge Jefferson was most recently a patent litigation counsel in private practice in Washington, D.C. Before returning to private practice, Judge Jefferson served as an Administrative Patent Judge at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) from its inception in 2012 until 2023. During his tenure, Judge Jefferson presided over 450 proceedings under the America Invents Act and adjudicated numerous ex parte appeals. Additionally, he served on the PTAB Circulation Judge Pool, contributing to PTAB’s internal peer review procedures for issued PTAB decisions.
Prior to serving on the PTAB, Judge Jefferson was a Trial Attorney for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Intellectual Property Staff, which handled patent, copyright, and trademark disputes on behalf of the Federal Government.
Prior to joining the DOJ, Judge Jefferson was an intellectual property associate in a Silicon Valley law firm. Judge Jefferson also served as a clerk for the Hon. R. Guy Cole, Jr., of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and a Temple Bar Scholar for the American Inns of Court.
Judge Jefferson is a native Floridian, earning his bachelor’s degree from Howard University, Masters’ degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and his law degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Jesse M. Feder
Chief Copyright Royalty Judge
February 2019 – present
Copyright Royalty Judge (copyright)
May 2013 – February 2019
The Librarian of Congress appointed Judge Jesse Feder as Copyright Royalty Judge (copyright) in 2013 to fill a vacancy and complete the six-year term of his predecessor. The Librarian reappointed him to a six-year term in 2014. In 2019, the Librarian appointed him as Chief Copyright Royalty Judge upon the retirement of his predecessor to serve the remainder of her term. Judge Feder is the third chief judge.
Judge Feder is a recognized copyright law expert, having served in various capacities in the U.S. Copyright Office before becoming the Director of International Trade and Intellectual Property at BSA/The Software Alliance. During his two decades in Washington, DC, Judge Feder has participated in setting the U.S. government’s domestic and international copyright policy.
Judge Feder is a published author with more than 25 years’ experience dealing with technology issues. Prior to his public service, Judge Feder gained experience in private practice, particularly related to international copyright issues.
Judge Feder brings to the CRB a wealth of talent and relevant experience.
Judge Feder received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his law degree from Columbia University School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the Columbia Law Review. He has served as an adjunct professor of law at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan and John Marshall Law School in Illinois.
David R. Strickler
Copyright Royalty Judge (economics)
May 2013 – present
The Librarian of Congress appointed Judge David Strickler as Copyright Royalty Judge (economics) in 2013 to fill a vacancy and complete the six-year term of his predecessor. The Librarian reappointed him to a six-year term in 2016 and to another six year-term in 2022.
Judge Strickler received his M.A. in economics from Columbia University in New York City in 1977, where he was a University Fellow. He earned his undergraduate degree, also in economics, in 1976, from New York University, where he was a Regents Scholar (and a member of the baseball team). Judge Strickler received his J.D. (
cum laude
) from the University of Miami School of Law in 1980, where he was a member of the
Law Review
. In law school, Judge Strickler was also a Law & Economics Fellow.
After law school, he spent several years as a federal litigator with the Department of Energy and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Thereafter, he was a commercial litigator in private practice in New Jersey for almost three decades.
Judge Strickler is an adjunct professor at the NYU School of Law and in the NYU Steinhardt School’s Music Business program. He has also taught microeconomics and macroeconomics at Kean University and Brookdale College in New Jersey.
In the interdisciplinary area of copyrights, economics, and law, Judge Strickler is a member of the Society for Economic Research on Copyright Issues (SERCI). He has had the privilege of serving as a featured speaker at SERCI’s 2015 Annual Congress in Glasgow, Scotland; the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School; the Vanderbilt University School of Law; and the NYU Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy. Judge Strickler has also served as an anonymous article referee for the
Review of Economic Research on Copyright Issues (RERCI)
and for the
Review of Industrial Organization
, and as a panelist for ALAI Canada. In December 2015,
RERCI
published an article by Judge Strickler entitled:
Royalty Rate Setting for Sound Recordings by the United States Copyright Royalty Board: The Judicial Need for Independent Scholarly Economic Analysis
.
Steve Ruwe
Copyright Royalty Judge (copyright)
October 2019 – present
The Librarian of Congress appointed Steve Ruwe to the position of copyright royalty judge. Effective Oct. 13, Ruwe will serve an interim appointment through Dec. 7, 2019, followed by a six-year appointment.
Ruwe fills the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Jesse Feder as chief judge. Judge Ruwe brings to the Copyright Royalty Board more than 15 years of experience in copyright and intellectual property law, most recently as assistant general counsel in the Copyright Office’s Office of General Counsel.
Contact Us
Copyright Royalty Board
P.O. Box 70977
Washington DC 20024-0977
P:
(202) 707-7658
[email protected]
Categories
Rate Proceedings
Distribution Proceedings
Rulemakings
Federal Register Notices
Royalty Claims
News
Announcements
CRB News
Subscribe to CRB News
Governing Laws
Code of Federal Regulations
Copyright Act
Search
Case Search
Categories
eCRB
Rate Proceedings
Distribution Proceedings
Rulemakings
Federal Register Notices
Royalty Claims
Contact Us
News
Announcements
CRB News
Subscribe to CRB News
Governing Laws
Code of Federal Regulations
Copyright Act
Recent Announcements
NOTE:
The CRB has a system for viewing filings online called eCRB. eCRB went live on June 17, 2017. Some CRB filings dated June 16, 2017, or earlier are available through eCRB. Eventually, all CRB filings will be there.
March 13, 2026
Judges Announce Royalty Rates and Terms for Digital Performance of Sound Recordings and Making of Ephemeral Copies to Facilitate Those Performances
The Copyright Royalty Judges announce four final rules governing the rates and terms for the digital performance of sound recordings, via webcasting, by (1) noncommercial educational webcasters, (2) Educational Media Foundation, (3) commercial broadcasters, and (4) certain public radio stations, and for their making of ephemeral recordings necessary for the facilitation of such transmissions for the period commencing January 1, 2026, and ending on December 31, 2030.
The Copyright Royalty Judges announce a final rule governing the rates and terms for the digital performances of sound recordings by new subscription services and for the making of ephemeral recordings necessary to facilitate those transmissions for the period commencing January 1, 2026, and ending on December 31, 2030.
For more information, click here:
https://www.crb.gov/fedreg/
More Announcements
About Us
The Copyright Royalty and Distribution Reform Act of 2004 (CRDRA) established the Copyright Royalty Judges program in the Library of Congress. The Copyright Royalty Judges (Judges) oversee the copyright law’s statutory licenses, which permit qualified parties to use multiple copyrighted works without obtaining separate licenses from each copyright owner.
The Judges determine and adjust royalty rates and terms applicable to the statutory copyright licenses. They also oversee distribution of royalties deposited with the Copyright Office by certain statutory licensees and adjudicate controversies relating to the distributions.
The Judges are appointed by the Librarian of Congress to serve staggered six-year terms. Each may be reappointed to subsequent six-year terms.
Under the CRDRA, each judge must have a law degree and at least seven years’ legal experience. In addition, one judge must have significant knowledge of copyright law, one must have significant knowledge of economics, and one must have a minimum of five years’ judicial or quasi-judicial experience. The board of Judges consists of
Trevor Jefferson (interim chief judge),
Judge David R. Strickler
(economics), and
Judge Steve Ruwe
(copyright).
Trevor Jefferson
Interim Chief Copyright Royalty Judge
David R. Strickler
Copyright Royalty Judge
Steve Ruwe
Copyright Royalty Judge
Read more
Trevor Jefferson
Interim Chief Copyright Royalty Judge
December 2025 – present
The Library of Congress appointed Judge Trevor Jefferson as Interim Chief Copyright Royalty Judge while the Library works to fill the term vacated upon the retirement of Judge David Shaw.
Judge Jefferson was most recently a patent litigation counsel in private practice in Washington, D.C. Before returning to private practice, Judge Jefferson served as an Administrative Patent Judge at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) from its inception in 2012 until 2023. During his tenure, Judge Jefferson presided over 450 proceedings under the America Invents Act and adjudicated numerous ex parte appeals. Additionally, he served on the PTAB Circulation Judge Pool, contributing to PTAB’s internal peer review procedures for issued PTAB decisions.
Prior to serving on the PTAB, Judge Jefferson was a Trial Attorney for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Intellectual Property Staff, which handled patent, copyright, and trademark disputes on behalf of the Federal Government.
Prior to joining the DOJ, Judge Jefferson was an intellectual property associate in a Silicon Valley law firm. Judge Jefferson also served as a clerk for the Hon. R. Guy Cole, Jr., of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and a Temple Bar Scholar for the American Inns of Court.
Judge Jefferson is a native Floridian, earning his bachelor’s degree from Howard University, Masters’ degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and his law degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Jesse M. Feder
Chief Copyright Royalty Judge
February 2019 – present
Copyright Royalty Judge (copyright)
May 2013 – February 2019
The Librarian of Congress appointed Judge Jesse Feder as Copyright Royalty Judge (copyright) in 2013 to fill a vacancy and complete the six-year term of his predecessor. The Librarian reappointed him to a six-year term in 2014. In 2019, the Librarian appointed him as Chief Copyright Royalty Judge upon the retirement of his predecessor to serve the remainder of her term. Judge Feder is the third chief judge.
Judge Feder is a recognized copyright law expert, having served in various capacities in the U.S. Copyright Office before becoming the Director of International Trade and Intellectual Property at BSA/The Software Alliance. During his two decades in Washington, DC, Judge Feder has participated in setting the U.S. government’s domestic and international copyright policy.
Judge Feder is a published author with more than 25 years’ experience dealing with technology issues. Prior to his public service, Judge Feder gained experience in private practice, particularly related to international copyright issues.
Judge Feder brings to the CRB a wealth of talent and relevant experience.
Judge Feder received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his law degree from Columbia University School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the Columbia Law Review. He has served as an adjunct professor of law at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan and John Marshall Law School in Illinois.
David R. Strickler
Copyright Royalty Judge (economics)
May 2013 – present
The Librarian of Congress appointed Judge David Strickler as Copyright Royalty Judge (economics) in 2013 to fill a vacancy and complete the six-year term of his predecessor. The Librarian reappointed him to a six-year term in 2016 and to another six year-term in 2022.
Judge Strickler received his M.A. in economics from Columbia University in New York City in 1977, where he was a University Fellow. He earned his undergraduate degree, also in economics, in 1976, from New York University, where he was a Regents Scholar (and a member of the baseball team). Judge Strickler received his J.D. (
cum laude
) from the University of Miami School of Law in 1980, where he was a member of the
Law Review
. In law school, Judge Strickler was also a Law & Economics Fellow.
After law school, he spent several years as a federal litigator with the Department of Energy and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Thereafter, he was a commercial litigator in private practice in New Jersey for almost three decades.
Judge Strickler is an adjunct professor at the NYU School of Law and in the NYU Steinhardt School’s Music Business program. He has also taught microeconomics and macroeconomics at Kean University and Brookdale College in New Jersey.
In the interdisciplinary area of copyrights, economics, and law, Judge Strickler is a member of the Society for Economic Research on Copyright Issues (SERCI). He has had the privilege of serving as a featured speaker at SERCI’s 2015 Annual Congress in Glasgow, Scotland; the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School; the Vanderbilt University School of Law; and the NYU Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy. Judge Strickler has also served as an anonymous article referee for the
Review of Economic Research on Copyright Issues (RERCI)
and for the
Review of Industrial Organization
, and as a panelist for ALAI Canada. In December 2015,
RERCI
published an article by Judge Strickler entitled:
Royalty Rate Setting for Sound Recordings by the United States Copyright Royalty Board: The Judicial Need for Independent Scholarly Economic Analysis
.
Steve Ruwe
Copyright Royalty Judge (copyright)
October 2019 – present
The Librarian of Congress appointed Steve Ruwe to the position of copyright royalty judge. Effective Oct. 13, Ruwe will serve an interim appointment through Dec. 7, 2019, followed by a six-year appointment.
Ruwe fills the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Jesse Feder as chief judge. Judge Ruwe brings to the Copyright Royalty Board more than 15 years of experience in copyright and intellectual property law, most recently as assistant general counsel in the Copyright Office’s Office of General Counsel.
Contact Us
Copyright Royalty Board
P.O. Box 70977
Washington DC 20024-0977
P:
(202) 707-7658
[email protected]
Categories
Rate Proceedings
Distribution Proceedings
Rulemakings
Federal Register Notices
Royalty Claims
News
Announcements
CRB News
Subscribe to CRB News
Governing Laws
Code of Federal Regulations
Copyright Act