DeadBeat Customers

[adina]

Personally, I don't do any work until I am paid. And I don't order any prints until they are paid for in full either.

Learned that one early on....

[swmdrayfan]

In a similar vein, I recently got stiffed by a guy who ordered $92 worth of pictures from me, and like an idiot I sent the pics before getting payment. Never again. The baseball card company I'm free lancing for is woefully slow in paying their photogs. At least 3 months, which leads me to believe they're in financial trouble or very, very understaffed.

[JSPhoto]

Wish me luck....
I filed a small claims case against the customer on January 4th, we go to court the 24th of January.
Meanwhile the guy keeps digging himself a deeper hole, claiming to be broke and unable to travel to do his magazine, yet at the same time posting on forums how he is sponsoring games and traveling to all parts of the state to cover games.
Needless to say I am printing out each admission of his travels to prove he CAN pay.

And after a phonecall tonight to a former photographer he used it appears he will be in court the following month as well. It seems the guy let something slip when talking to me and that gave the other photog the ammo he needs to get a succesful resolution to his not being paid as well.
JS

[JSPhoto]

Todays the day. I have the hearing at 5pm . I have a notebook full of info for the judge, it will take an hour for him just to read the emails and so on from this guy claiming he's broke...hmmm, but he can go travel daily to games all over...interesting.
Wish me luck!

JS

[adina]

Good luck! Let us know how this works out for you.


On a similar note, and not saying anything against your decision. Do you (collectively) feel that legal action will affect your reputation? I'm not commenting on your decision, JS, but more in general.

[JSPhoto]

I doubt it will affect me, I thought about it though. It isn't something for all situations, sometimes it's best to bite the bullet and take a hit. The problem in this case is the person has a track record of pulling these stunts, not just with me but other photographers in several states.

Don't know the outcome, the judge wants time to go over the evidence and will notify us by mail...Oh well....more waiting. I will say that he made himself look bad, especially at certain important points. The funny thing though, the opne point I thought was going to be a problem wasn't, and that was where he cancelled a job two days before it, he never said a peep, even though I was asking for full payment....that was strange considering some of his arguments, which I was able to shut down easily with proof.

JS

[JSPhoto]

Update,

This whole affair is really starting to get me very angry. At the hearing this guy flat out lied about everything, and I mean everything, but whats worse is the damn judge seems to have taken pitty on the SOB, she finally, three weeks after the hearing ruled sort of in my favor, for 1/3rd of what I was suing the jerk for, $500 instead of the $1500 he owes me. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I was so ticked off that yesterday I jumped in my van and drove 50 miles to the court and requested another hearing as I have new evidence that the SOB lied. I must have been really pissed because my shoulder didn't hurt the entire 100 mile round trip! I should not have been driving that far after having had my surgery Monday, then drive across Indy on I-70....the Motor Speedway isn't the only race track around Indy I-70 and 465 are also racetracks!
I get to the court, file the papers and barely being able to write hope they can figure out what I want and why.
Amongst other things this jerk tried telling the judge he gives the publications away, doesn't charge for them, and he failed to mention he not only charges for them, but he also sells ADVERTISING! So I had a friend call up who owns a business and ask about ad rates....hahaha burned that SOB.....$1500 for a half page ad! And he claims he can't afford to pay.
But you know, that isn't what really has me stoked! What really got me was when he pulled out a letter from a Big 10 university womens basketball coach saying how good his character is and how much he does for girls basketball....blah blah blah.
GOTCHA! Well he made one very serious mistake, OK, two. First he picked a Big 10 school out of state, apparently he realized I have inside contacts at IU and Purdue. But what he didn't know was I also have an inside track to all the Big 10 schools if I need. So, with one phone call I find out the coach at this school has never heard of him or his company. Uh ho......she may just pass this on to the schools legal department, as the letter is a forgery. I am going to go to court with a big ole smile on my face this time.

JS

[adina]

Wow.

Talk about drama. I love people like that. (is there a sarcasm smiley?)

[JSPhoto]

Wow.

Talk about drama. I love people like that. (is there a sarcasm smiley?)

I guess the one that would work is this one Adina (rolleyes). Some people are just plain dumb.....and this guy is one of them

JS

[JSPhoto]

The drama continues! Ok, I know this clown isn't too bright....but. On the night of the original hearing he runs home and calls or emails a photographer and proclaims the case was thrown out by the judge. No, what the judge said was "I will take this under advisement and notify you by mail of my decision", nothing about throwing it out. 2/17/06 the judge sent her decision out. Fast forward to today, not a peep out of this guy, except that he keeps telling ANYONE who will listen that he won the case as it was thrown out. He also has made no attempt what so ever to pay what the judge finally decided on. OK, it's now 30 days, so I call to see if he made any payments and they said no. Then they said they will send me the paperwork for the next phase. Now I have to get him back in court and have the judge garnish his wages and bank accounts to get the money he owes me. Figure two more weeks to get a hearing, maybe 3. Then another 2 or 3 to get the paperwork through the bank, and then wait on his checks to hit the bank. ARGH! Oh what fun!

JS