Affidavit with Apostille Recognized as Evidence of Exclusive Rights to Artwork

On November 1, 2024, the Russian Intellectual Property Court (С01-1923/2024 in the case Case No. A43-2484/2024) upheld lower court rulings granting compensation for infringement of exclusive rights to works of visual art. The court confirmed that the rights belong to the claimant and that the defendant’s actions constituted infringement.

The foreign company that initiated the claim presented, among other evidence, an affidavit from a company officer with an apostille to prove its rights. The defendant challenged the affidavit’s validity as evidence, but courts at all levels, including the IP Court, recognized it as admissible.

Judicial practice supports the recognition of an affidavit from an officer of a foreign company with an apostille as valid evidence of exclusive rights to copyrighted works. Additionally, the foreign entity's legal status is verified by an extract from the official registry of its country of origin.