[The following is a Jan. 19, 1996 press release from the Church of 
Scientology]

					January 19, 1996

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For further information
contact:  Leisa Goodman (213) 960-3500
          e-mail: leisaGN@AOL.com


		COURT RULES FOR COPYRIGHT PROTECTION ON INTERNET

   A victory was scored today for copyright protection on the Internet when 
a federal court in Virginia ruled for the Church of Scientology in a 
lawsuit that has been watched internationally because of its major 
implications for the future of copyrights, creativity and free speech in 
cyberspace. The judge, who ruled from the bench and will follow up with a 
specific written order, indicated also that the Church plaintiff would be 
entitled to attorney fees.

   The case involves a suit by Religious Technology Center (RTC), exclusive 
licensee of copyrights in certain unpublished writings by Scientology 
Founder, L. Ron Hubbard, against Arlington, Va., resident Arnaldo Lerma 
who made wholesale posting s of many of those works to the Internet.

   RTC filed suit on Aug. 11, 1995 against Lerma. U.S. District Judge Leonie 
M. Brinkman in Alexandria, Va., authorized U.S. marshals to seize 
copyrighted materials which Lerma kept at his home.

   RTC filed a summary judgement motion in December based on evidence of 
wholesale and verbatim infringements by Lerma of 33 separate works.

   At today's hearing, Judge Brinkman granted RTC's motion and denied a 
summary judgement motion filed by Lerma who claimed that his actions were 
"fair use" and should be allowed. The judge stated that she would rule 
that Lerma engaged in multiple acts of copyright infringement and that 
his postings on the Internet were not fair use of RTC's copyrighted 
material.

   "This is a significant decision not only for the Church of Scientology 
but all other intellectual property owners who were concerned that 
Internet anarchy would wipe out individual creativity, fee speech and 
other core values that make the Net exciting and useful," said Leisa 
Goodman, a church spokesperson.

   "Today's ruling sounds a loud alarm to those who think they can destroy 
rights and create an anarchy with impunity. The law applies in 
cyberspace, period."

   Throughout the case, Lerma frequently sought to justify his violations of 
copyright law as a form of exercising his freedom of speech.

   RTC's attorney Helena Korbin stated, "Copyright infringers often try to 
cover up their illegal acts by claiming it was only 'free speech.' The 
Copyright Clause was enacted in the Constitution to encourage creativity. 
Our founding fathers did not intend for the First Amendment to be used to 
decimate the rights guaranteed elsewhere in the Constitution."

   RTC's summary judgement motion was argued by J. Frederick Sinclair of 
Alexandria, Va., and William M. Hart of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & 
Walker's New York office.

   The Church of Scientology has long been a staunch advocate of freedom of 
speech, the free flow of information and the protections that are 
guaranteed in the United States under the First Amendment.


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