Legality of using place names

sknipper · Mar 24, 2009

I'm hoping someone can help me with this. My WIP is set at a college & I spent some time looking for the right setting. I found the perfect school (Carleton College) & I'd like to actually set the novel there. My question is, am I legally allowed to refer to Carleton College and other real places (i.e. the name of a particular coffee shop) or do I need to get permission first?

Thanks for your help! I hadn't even thought about it until my husband suggested that I might not be able to use the name of a specific college without permission.

lm728 · Mar 24, 2009

I think you're fine. As long as there isn't anything offensive to the college (ie teacher making advances on a student--Legally Blonde got rejected by a college in Chicago because it didn't want scenes like that filmed there), or anything blasphemizing the college, then, yeah.

Judg · Mar 24, 2009

You can use place names freely. The only caveat is if you make them look really bad so they'd be tempted to sue. If you want to make them look bad, just change the names.

sknipper · Mar 25, 2009

Thanks for your help! That's what I thought, but after my husband's question I started to wonder.

maestrowork · Mar 25, 2009

You're fine.

Angels and Demons is set at the Vatican (and not very flattering either) and I hardly think Dan Brown has or needed permission from the Pope to use that location.

I am surprised the Church hasn't sued him yet.

Not to mention the Louvre, CERN, the Pentagon, etc. etc.

DeleyanLee · Mar 25, 2009

If you're really nervous about it--keep what you need of the campus and change the name. That way, if something comes up that you need to "alter" the campus for, you're already covered.

IceCreamEmpress · Mar 25, 2009

There is no problem. Unless you are alleging some wrongdoing by the college itself, you're good.

RoseColoredSkies · Mar 25, 2009

I actually have a similar quesiton. In my next YA novel, I plan on the beginning being set at a certain juvenile secure detention facility in the DC/MD area. It has a rep for being really bad (it's not secret) but I don't want angry COs on my back. They're trying to fix the place up now (I think the DC Council had a goal of it being completely redone by 2011).

Anyway, I don't really intent on portraying the facility in a negative light. The MC isn't going to be there for much time in the story.

Legality of using place names

sknipper

lm728

i'm baaaacccckkkkkk

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

sknipper

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

DeleyanLee

Writing Anarchist

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

RoseColoredSkies

It's a long and winding road