In Pursuit of Clarity: The Conundrum of CAD Software and Copyright – Seeking Direction Through Case Law

Through the application of selected statutes and case law drawn from the United Kingdom (UK), this paper will explore the copyright status of three-dimensional design files and will particularly question whether they can be protected as literary and / or artistic works. In responding to this question, the paper highlighting gaps and challenges inherent in the law and adopts a ‘coherentist’ and ‘regulatory instrumentalist’ analysis in responding to the challenges and providing recommendations for the future.