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Comment by lehmannro | Hacker News Reader

I guess that caused more trouble for your dad than it did for the shop owner, economically at least. Plus he would probably brag about your dad to other shop owners. (I agree that just doing the job for free is no solution either, but do not have any better retaliation, except for proper contracts and court claims, in mind.)

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Courts are not a solution to most problems. You spend hundreds just to get started with fees, serving the other side, then the time back and forth to court over and over with the other side continuing the case. Now it is 6 months later and maybe the court will decide in your favor or maybe the court will decide that you didn't do the work as specified by the client (even if you did).

Even if the court decides in your favor, all you have is a judgement. You still have to collect. If they didn't pay before, why would they pay now? With a judgement, you have a better chance of getting your money, but not any better chance of getting it quickly. It may still take years (this from someone who's been waiting 2.5 years after filing a lawsuit to have my case heard - courts are really backed up).

Yes, winning usually still means you usually don't get paid.

http://www.sptimes.com/Hillsborough/90698/Small_claims_usual...

"Only 8 percent of those winning plaintiffs collected, court records show. Officials say some plaintiffs might not have notified the court, so as a backup test, the Times contacted 39 winning plaintiffs. Eight -- 21 percent -- said they had been paid.

Court officials nationwide confirm that whatever the real number is, it's low.

"Most plaintiffs would be better off taking their money to the roulette tables in Biloxi, Miss., and placing it on red," said Jimmy Dye, a collections lawyer who works throughout Florida. "They'd certainly have more fun." "

Go on Judge Judy or something. The TV shows will actually pay you if you win.

They actually pay you regardless of the verdict.

Depending on just how big the unpaid invoice is, in some states small-claims court is an option; it's cheaper and quicker usually. Here's a list of each state's limits for a small-claims-court suit: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/article-30031.html

This a route I took last year for a client. I self represented and the clerks at the courthouse were friendly and helped where they could. In North Carolina, the cap for small claims action is $5000. Once my case was heard, it took 10 minutes between the start and a judgement in my favor. From start to finish though it took two months so as to serve a summons properly and allow time to appeal the judgement.

It helps if you've received checks from the company previously and can give the bank account information to a sheriff to collect for you.

yeah, that really wasnt an option as I am resident in Thailand where legal proceedings are usually settled with big brown envelopes and such.

If the company is based in the UK you could have had a local representative to file a claim.

It may be of course that you have no legal recompense; however I'd exhaust all possibilities in that direction before sabotaging a site.

Perhaps what's needed is a "name and shame" list of deadbeat clients somewhere that developers can check before accepting work.

Hundreds? Maybe in small claims court. If you are talking about more significant amounts, plan on at least $5 - 10K in fees just to get in front of a judge.

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