Question about Web designer rights...

[JulesN]

I designed a site (even took the pictures that I used on it) and the owner wants all control over everything (I have also used snippets of code, that I have purchased the rights to use, from other sources). She says that she has paid for the site so she should maintain full ownership, and I believe that she is interested in getting someone cheaper to maintain and change things on it.

This was a friend of a friend (stupid me didn't get a contract signed).

I have offered her a "key" if she would like to make changes to text from Adobe Contribute, but she wants full access to all site code.

I think that if I give her access, she will change the password to the hosting site and boot me off entirely, and possibly misuse third party code.

Can I be sued for the rights to the code on the site? When it is mentioned that she owns the content of the site, and I own the design, how does that work. Can I keep her blocked from the site? or not?

The contract that I have since had written up claims that site owners have the right to "use" the site that I design, but I keep the copyright. Is this going to be a problem in the future, where site owners are being advised to make sure they claim the copyrights?

I am in Canada, but I'm sure that most laws are the same in most countries. I would just like to know what the majority of Web designers are doing out there.

Jules

[Yelgnidroc]

The best advice, I'd say, would be to consult a local lawyer. The project may be of low value, in which case you might just want to either give in or be really awkward.

I'm not a lawyer, but a couple of thoughts are:

You could try arguing that you purchased / designed the site's code and therefore have copyright. You did not agree that she owned the copyright. If she wants the copyright she can buy it. You may not be able to pass on copyright to code that is not yours (i.e. the code you bought).

It might also depend on what the invoice said she had bought.

Contracts may depend on local laws - if what you say in a contract is not legal, the entire contract may be nullified.

Again, speak to a local lawyer.

[WebJoel]

Sell her your share of copyright. If you purchased lease say, code to use "20-times", she buys 1/20th the cost of the 3rd party code. Or do I miss something here? I know that some licensed code you can buy and use X-number of times. You bought X-number of licenses. Sell her one.