Who has not heard of the federal copyright law and been confused by the many interpretations of what a correctional educator can and cannot copy and distribute in the classroom? The author reviews the basic copyright law that includes examples and a summary of "fair use" principles applicable to correctional educators. The author also explains the impact of the TEACH Act of 2002 on correctional programs that use online and distance learning programs to educate employees and inmates. Failure to heed both of these federal laws could result in embarrassing litigation for a correctional institution.