When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2012. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform. Not all works in the public domain have been expired, some works are deliberately donated into the collection for the public good by their owners.
In most European nations with the exception of Belarus, copyright law extends for the life of the author or artist, plus 70 years.
In the United States, the copyright status of works extends for the life of the author or artists, plus 70 years. If the work is owned by a corporation, then the copyright extends 95 years.
Due to the passing of the Copyright Term Extension Act (Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act) in 1998, no new works would enter the public domain in this jurisdiction until 2019.
In January 2012, the Supreme Court in a 6-2 decision stated that works in the public domain can have their copyright status renewed.