On September 17, 2012, Librarian of Congress, James Billington, appointed Richard Strasser to serve as interim Copyright Royalty Judge. Judge Strasser will serve for a period of six months, or until the Librarian fills the vacancy left by Judge Stanley C. Wisniewski, who retired August 31, 2012.

Copyright Royalty Judges are appointed by the Librarian of Congress in consultation with the Register of Copyrights.

Strasser served as senior staff attorney on the Copyright Royalty Board (“CRB”) since 2007. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric, and an M.B.A. His graduate coursework included microeconomics, macroeconomics and finance. Strasser obtained a law degree from the University of Virginia in 1989. While in law school, he served as an editor of the Virginia Law Review.

Chief Copyright Royalty Judge Suzanne Barnett stated, “Judge Wisniewski’s position will be very difficult to fill, but we are fortunate to have in Rich Strasser someone with extensive experience in economics and with the CRB to provide a seamless transition for the immediate future.”

The CRB consists of three judges and three staff members. The Copyright Royalty Judges are charged by statute with facilitating efficient transactions required by law between copyright holders and distributors. The judges conduct proceedings between parties when the parties are unable to reach agreement on royalty terms, and facilitate distribution of royalties in concert with the U.S. Copyright Office.