Copyright Permissions Penalty Appeal

{Your Name}
{Your Address}
{Your Phone #}

{Date}

Dear {Representative Name}:

On {date}, I received a {monetary amount} fine from your corporation for reusing lyrics from "{Song Title}" by {Artist} in my short story, "{Title}." I would like to appeal this decision, as I worked very hard to make sure that my use of this song was viable under the de minimis condition and had no way of knowing that it violated copyright.

While writing this story, I made sure to only include {number} words from the lyrics, using nothing from either the "hook" or the chorus of the song. The song does not play a prominent role in the story (and does not appear in the title). Furthermore, I contacted an Intellectual Properties attorney, who assured me that my usage fell directly into the de minimis definition.

I apologize for violating your usage rules, but I have made every effort in good faith to keep from illegally using your copyrighted material. As sales from this story has only garnered me {amount of money}, I respectfully request that you waive the fine.

I appreciate your time and careful consideration in this matter.

Thank you,

{Sender Name}

Index of Hardship Letter Examples