Secretary of State Alex Padilla this week announced upgrades to his office’s online search engine of successor-in-interest claims, which are required from anyone seeking to use a deceased celebrity or personality’s names, voice, signature, photograph or likeness for commercial purposes.The website can be found at specialfilings.sos.ca.gov.
“The upgraded successor-in-interest search tool provides faster, easier access to filings with the Secretary of State’s office,” Padilla said. “Real-time posting of filings and downloadable document images improves transparency and the customer experience.”
The new successor-in-interest search tool will provide real-time data upload of successor-in-interest claims to the Secretary of State’s website for immediate viewing by the public and the ability to display and print an image of the registration of claim form filed with the Secretary of State’s office.
To use a deceased personality’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness in any manner for commercial purposes, one first must register their claim as a successor-in-interest to use those intellectual property rights with the Secretary of State as required by Civil Code section 3344.1.
Each successor-in-interest claim filed with the Secretary of State’s office is required to contain the personality’s name, date of death, the name and address of the claimant and the interest claimed.
Source: Padilla’s office
