Client didnt pay for work on website. What should I do.

amateursurgeon said:
Ok, I can't speak for US law, because I'm a Brit, but over here you'd have a very interesting situation:

Etc.
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Fatbat said:
You own everything there that you created without a contract in place stating who owns what. Look up copyright law and "work for hire".
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The law is the same in the US as far as I understand it, but someone like Mr. Kelly would be better qualified to answer that.
 


I feel like you'd win the case bro.

Change shit up, make your website look better and significantly different.
 
amateursurgeon said:
Ok, I can't speak for US law, because I'm a Brit, but over here you'd have a very interesting situation:

1. If you were an independent contractor (not an employee) you own the copyright to all the work you produce, unless you specifically assign it to them.
2. Given that you didn't have a contract, it's unlikely you've assigned it. Especially as they haven't paid you.
3. Therefore (if you were under UK law), you'd probably still own the rights to the work you did on their website. It's you who could be demanding they take it down.

It may work in the same way where you are - but you need specialist legal advice on this. Especially as they sound like arseholes who may sue.

Something I've done in the past where I haven't wanted to spend a lot on legal fees is to draft up a letter to send, then get a lawyer to look it over and add/correct anything I've missed. It's worked pretty well - the only downside is you don't get the "shit just got serious" factor of a lawyer's letterhead, and you can't sue the lawyer if it goes wrong (a large proportion of a lawyer's fees are their indemnity insurance. Lawyers spend a lot of time suing each other for shit going wrong.)
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I dont sue, I just win. But you're right, in some situations its ok to draft that letter up and have the lawyer review, and other times its better just to hire the lawyer to draft it. You'd be surprised how much more can get accomplished when it comes from a letterhead.
 
I really know what you went through with this. When in the same situation I thought of many different ways to handle the problem, however I was in a different situation as I live in another country from my 'partner'.

The best advice given to me at the time was the following:

Above all learn to, never trust anyone in business to keep their 'word'. The nicest people turn to fucking greedy motherfuckers when money is involved.
 
I am getting legal help on this for sure!! For two reasons, a) It is best to get legal help in situations like this, even when they send you a printable C&D letter from themselves. b) this guy is just and Arseholle!! I brushed it off the first time but now I am a little annoyed.

I am trying to keep all of this myself without taking any partners on, but after this and wanting a little capital I am going to have to take on a partner. Good part is he is my brother in law. Good and Bad part is he is a ruthless dick and has conned more people in business and court than I can count. But I will be loosing a large percentage of the company.

I do like the idea of completely changing the site around. But they would go after my name then or something else.

"Same Different Same"
 
justo_tx said:
robots.txt, everything will look legit to their eyes with no idea why gbot never comes to visit anymore.
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Ahh, I like that one. They'll never have a clue and their organic traffic will dry up in no time.
 
aaronklaw said:
Hey guys. He's coming into my office now. Should I dickroll him? I've got a bunch of monitors set up at the front reception desk. I'm thinking those would be great for some meatspin
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That would be too awesome...

Double points if you can get his reaction on film (cameraphone? desk video cam?) while you dickroll him...
 
cardine said:
Uh... no?
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Bill Gates did work "with" Steve Jobs, but he didn't get screwed by them he was the one doing the screwing and never really an employee per say.

He was getting access to their software so he could have his own team of geeks copy it. Not quite the same as an employee that goes to do their own. There are of course many situations where that happens, but it's risky and if they get caught fines in court especially if they signed a non-compete or the like would be serious.
 
aaronklaw said:
I dont sue, I just win. But you're right, in some situations its ok to draft that letter up and have the lawyer review, and other times its better just to hire the lawyer to draft it. You'd be surprised how much more can get accomplished when it comes from a letterhead.
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Yeah, I agree, the letterhead carries a lot of weight.

Depends on the strategy you're following. I've usually managed to correspond opponents into submission. By sending them increasingly long, detailed, boring letters, eventually they lose the will to live. :)
 
aaronklaw said:
Hey guys. He's coming into my office now. Should I dickroll him? I've got a bunch of monitors set up at the front reception desk. I'm thinking those would be great for some meatspin
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Just before he enters your office:

1. Download "You Spin Me Right Round Baby..." on iTunes
2. Hit PLAY
3. Remove pants and underwear
4. Get onto your desk
5. Spin your dick around to the beat of the music
6. ???
7. Profit
 
Well I took all of your advice and Lawyered Up!!

Met up with Aaron at his office and of course I fell in love this the space instantly!! LOL planning on moving into there very soon! The fact that its a block away from ASU campus help too ;) hehe

He wrote a response letter to these guys and LET THEM HAVE IT!! It made me smile just reading it :) Needless to say that letter is probably going to ruin his day!! ahhhhh =D

At first I thought it kinda lame to get on here and bitch, but to be honest the people and relationships I have created from this thread I am very happy about :) But despite all of my bitching there is ALOT of great info in this thread and hopefully some people will learn from my ignorance!! lol
 
TBoneAZ said:
Well I took all of your advice and Lawyered Up!!

Met up with Aaron at his office and of course I fell in love this the space instantly!! LOL planning on moving into there very soon! The fact that its a block away from ASU campus help too ;) hehe

He wrote a response letter to these guys and LET THEM HAVE IT!! It made me smile just reading it :) Needless to say that letter is probably going to ruin his day!! ahhhhh =D

At first I thought it kinda lame to get on here and bitch, but to be honest the people and relationships I have created from this thread I am very happy about :) But despite all of my bitching there is ALOT of great info in this thread and hopefully some people will learn from my ignorance!! lol
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What did the response letter say bro.
 
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