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Virginia creators using copyrighted material need fair-use analysis — four-factor test (purpose, nature, amount, market effect) determines whether use is lawful without permission.

Virginia trade secrets are protected under both state Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA) and federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA, 2016). No registration required — but reasonable secrecy efforts are.

Patents are entirely federal — granted by the USPTO and litigated in federal district court. Virginia infringement actions are filed in U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia (E.D. Va. is the famous "Rocket Docket" — fast-moving patent cases).