Can someone enlighten me about copyright?

[MrsFogi]

I have a folder (printed, not one I've put together myself) of handouts that I have put up for sale on eBay. Someone has contacted me to say I can't sell it as it is copyright material. Surely if I paid to attend these classes and was given the handouts I can sell them on ebay? It's not as though I have made copies and am trying to sell them. Also if not how on earth is it possible for people to sell second hand books on Amazon?

Did you pay for the folder or were you given it as part of the course?

I'm not sure if that makes a legal difference or not, but it would make the 'second hand book' scenario different, as the book would no doubt be being sold for less than the original purchase price, so the second hand seller wouldn't be making money on it.

I found this line: "The first sale doctrine is a defense to infringement of the distribution right. It permits a lawful purchaser of a copyrighted work to resell or otherwise dispose of it." on wiki, refering to US law, but presumably the same in UK (not that I know where you are of course!)

Sorry, I doubt any of that waffle is any help at all (but does bump it for you!). My first instinct was to think that you shouldn't be able to legally sell course handouts, because you haven't written them and you might be competing with the author who might be trying to sell them themselves - but if you paid for them yourself, then sellng them on secondhand sounds reasonable. But thats my opinion, although I have attended numerous copyright lectures, they generally weren't the sort of courses I have any ability to pay attention in

Part of the course ditzzy, I didn't pay separately for them.

I have been on courses and the handouts clearly say you are not to duplicate them etc etc but presumably you can sell your personal notes & handouts? Have no idea at really!

Bump

My instincts tell me that only the course provider would have rights to distribute that material. You selling it on might affect their ability to sell their courses. I'm not sure of the legalese for that though.