ソフトウェアライセンス契約 その３

ソフトウェアライセンス契約のその他の主な条項について書いてみましょう。
まず、責任と損害賠償額の定めですね。所謂相当因果関係説の考え方と大きく異なりますね。特徴は、Licenseeが、過去1年間にLicensorに支払った対価の額を上限とし、しかも実際の直接損害の額に限定することが多いです。まあ、直接損害と規定しても、何が直接損害かは、実際判断・考え方が分かれるところですが、一定の枠ということでは制限がありますね。

〇　Liability
1) Each Party is responsible only for any actual direct loss or damage of the other Party arising in connection with this Agreement, which shall be no more than the amount that Licensee has paid Licensor for the latest twelve (12) months as License and support fees, except that this limitation will not apply to (a) Licensor's indemnity obligation under the next Section (Licensorが、第三者の権利侵害をしていた場合), (b) claims based upon gross negligence or willful misconduct, (c) claims for breach of the Section (LicensorのRepresentation & Warranty違反の場合) or (d) Licensee’s obligation to pay any unpaid License fees and support fees otherwise due and payable under this Agreement.

2) Parties further agree that neither Party will ever be responsible to the other or to any third party for special, incidental, exemplary or consequential damages (including but not limited to lost profits or savings) even if Party is informed of their possibility and regardless of the basis or legal theory on which damages may be claimed.
この条項は、実際の直接損害のみ責任を負うとの規定を補足するため、特別損害・結果損害等は責任を負わないと規定しますね。

3) Under no circumstances (except as required by law) will Licensor be liable for third-party claims relating to the Service against Licensee for losses or damages other than those arising out of an alleged infringement claim of the Software Packages. Licensor shall also not be responsible for loss of, or damage to, Licensee’s records or data obtained from providing the Service to User.
例えば、みずほ銀行のソフト（もしみずほ銀行のソフトが自社開発でなくてLicensorがみずほ銀行をLicenseeとしてライセンス契約をしていた場合ですが）で、銀行ソフトを使用してお金を下そうとしているUserから、Licensorにクレームがあっても責任は負いません。みずほ銀行自身で処理してくださいということですね。

4) If Licensor receives notice of an alleged infringement claim or determines that such claim is likely, Licensor may, at its option, (i) obtain the right for Licensee to continue to use the Software Packages; (ii) substitute the Software Packages that have similar operating capabilities for the current Software Packages; or (iii) modify the Software Packages so that they are no longer infringing but has substantially similar operating capabilities as the current Software Packages. In the event that none of the above options is reasonably available, Licensor may terminate this Agreement and shall remedy Licensee for any losses arising thereof. The details of such remedy shall be discussed and decided between the Parties hereto.
もし、Licensorが、他社のソフトウェア著作権を侵害しているときには、同等の機能を有するソフトウェアに変更するなどの対応をしますということですね。

5) Each Party acknowledges and agrees that money remedies may not be a sufficient remedy for any breach of this Agreement by such Party, and the other Party may be entitled to specific performance and injunctive relief as remedies for any such breach. Such remedies will not be deemed to be the exclusive remedies for a breach of this Agreement by such Party but will be in addition to all other remedies available at law or in equity to the other Party
金銭賠償が不十分であるときは、特定履行の請求や差止等の救済を申し立てることができる規定ですね。

〇 Licensor Intellectual Property Indemnity
Licensor represents and warrants that Licensor has received no claim of infringement from any third party as to the Software Packages, as of the execution date of this Agreement. Licensor will defend (at its expense), indemnify and hold Licensee harmless against any claim, suit or proceeding brought against Licensee if it is based on a claim that the Software Packages (so long as it has not been modified in any respect by Licensee) infringe a copyright enforceable in any country which is a signatory to the Berne Convention, trade secret and/or other intellectual property rights. Such indemnification obligation will require that Licensee (i) give Licensor prompt written notice of any such claim; (ii) allow Licensor to control the defense and settlement of such claim; and (iii) provide Licensor with all information and assistance (at Licensor’s expense) for defense and settlement of such claim. Licensor will pay any settlement costs and damages awarded after final appeal. Licensor shall have no obligation to defend or hold Licensee harmless if any alleged infringement of intellectual property right is based upon the use of the Software Packages in a manner for which it is not intended.
契約締結時に、侵害のクレームなどありませんという規定です。もしそういった訴訟がLicenseeに起こされても、Licensorが自分の費用で解決しますという誓約ですね。

〇　Agreement Structure
If there is a conflict among or between terms in the various documents which make up this Agreement, the following order of precedence shall prevail: (1) the Exhibits of this Agreement; and (2) the body of this Agreement. Any additional or different terms in other communication are void except by mutual express consent in writing of subsequent date signed by authorized officer of each of Parties hereto.
この規定は、ソフトウェア契約には時々見られます。添付書類との間で矛盾のある場合は、添付の書類の方が優先適用されるという規定ですね。

〇　Contract Renewal and Termination
LicenseeがUser ProgramをUserに配布して継続的ビジネスを開始すれば、やめられませんね。従い自動更新付の条項が多いと思います。

次回に続きます。次回はソフトウェアの保守・修正の条項です。ソフトウェアに不具合が発生したらどのような対応をするかの規定で、非常に重要な規定ですね。