My very first lawsuit

posted February 22

I might have to file my first lawsuit very soon. Hopefully that won’t be the case.
I’m enraged that things have come to this. I’m also enraged that people would take advantage of my services and my kind hospitality. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way, but it doesn’t mean I’ve lost.

I don’t want to give away too much information at this point, but a close family friend whom I took photography on her wedding day for, designed – print – cut – packaged invitations for – took engagement pictures for – edited and photoshopped tons and tons of pictures and did all types of work for, is refusing to pay me any money after 4 months.

This is after 4 months of her being at my house, telling me how much she loves the pictures, ordering me around to edit what she wants etc. etc. Even her Husband saw the pictures, and he even said he liked them.

A few days ago I emailed her saying that I felt like she was taking advantage of me because she has not paid me for anything and it is quite ridiculous, then she said she would pay me. She told me to email her an estimate. I emailed her one. It was extremely reasonable. Then she sent me an email this morning.

Here is a snippet from the email she sent me this morning:

“I understand that you are asking for payment for your work now but I have spoken to my father-in-law and husband and after they reviewed the pictures and video, they are not agreeing to pay. So, at this time, I do not need any more of your services, or any of the pictures from you anymore.”

I cannot believe this. I really can’t. According to her because I’m not a professional business she doesn’t have to pay me.
My uncle is a lawyer and I’ve already begun to take action on this.

She’ll learn the hard way, too. :)

30 comments | pissed offline life

Comments

OHMYGOD~~ I SWEAR THAT MUSTVE BEEN SOO ANNOYING!!! WORKING FOR THOSE PEOPLE JNFisdfbds
I HOPE YOU WINNN~

maryam posted this February 22 * # Reply
that is crazy!! whether she likes the pictures or not, she should be paying you for the time you took out of your life to do all that for her… well, here’s another vote hoping you win if you do decide to take her to court for it!

Courtney posted this February 22 * # Reply
That’s terrible. I’d be upset too, hopefully she’ll come to her senses and pay you like she said she would, then you can avoid a lawsuit. But if not, then I suppose a lawsuit would be the only way to settle the situation.

Victoria posted this February 22 * # Reply
next time you should ask for a desposit in advance that way if they refuse at least you have some of the money. good luck!

Ali posted this February 22 * # Reply
Aww, what jerkfaces :( If I were you I’d definitely continue working with your uncle on the lawsuit. If you don’t want to go all the way to court, you could always have him send them an e-mail explaining the laws that say they have to pay you. I hope you saved the e-mails where she said she would pay you, and the rest of them as well! Haha. Like you said, you learned the hard way…I’m sure this won’t happen next time. (PS: If I were you I’d be spreading the word about these people to all your photographer/editor/etc buddies…hehe)

Kaytlin posted this February 22 * # Reply
Wow, I really hope that you had a written contract for this whole ordeal because unless you have her signature and statement of her actually saying that she was going to pay you, you wont have evidence. But good luck!

Mia posted this February 22 * # Reply
“I don’t need the pictures anymore”

of course you don’t need them.
YOU ALREADY USED THEM.

According to her because Iâ€™m not a professional business she doesnâ€™t have to pay me.
Wow, she must have a degree in law. That’s like me going over to your house, you saying you’ll pay me, remodeling your kitchen, and then you refuse to pay me.

You did the right thing filing a lawsuit. Too bad it won’t be on Judge Judy. =( That would be one of the funniest ones yet.

Chris posted this February 22 * # Reply
That’s so annoying! Even if you aren’t a professional she should still pay you for taking the time to do all that. If she’s a family friend, obviously you wouldn’t think that you should have to sign a contract and that her saying she would pay you is enough. And why is it up to her father-in-law & husband if she pays you when it sounds to me like it was HER who you were working for, not them! The whole situation sounds ridiculous, but good luck and I suppose you’ve learnt a valuable lesson. What has it come to that you can’t even trust people you know to keep their word or at least do the respectable thing! How rude!

Harriet posted this February 22 * # Reply
how low. own her!
you’re pretty much a pro, besides, it’s her wedding, the pictures are supposed to be special.

Gina posted this February 22 * # Reply
Dude, I’m really angry at her- and this doesn’t even involve me! Being a photographer myself, I would be REALLY pissed if someone didn’t pay me for my work…being paranoid though, I’ve always had my clients sign a contract and everyone has to pay at least a partial deposit. You should do this too for the future…but I think you already know that now. :P

I think the threat of a lawsuit would be enough to get her to cough up the money, honestly.

It’s also sad that some women are still so dependent on their male relatives…sigh.

Fatima posted this February 22 * # Reply
Wow, that is just so unbelievable rude. I don’t believe the audacity of her. How could she think that it would be free? Wow. That’s just pretty sad. Try not to be too sad about it and just make sure you’re upfront from now on especially with family from now on. It’s so sad that you do.

clairessa posted this February 22 * # Reply
jess, sue the bejezus out of her! >;)

Sam posted this February 22 * # Reply
wttff. how rude. some family friends they are…

Dalia posted this February 22 * # Reply
wow, what a waste of your time. Now you have to take action to get your money when she could’ve just paid you. You could be losing business while filing for a lawsuit.

RG3 posted this February 23 * # Reply
karma.

hope everything goes well. :/

next time, you should make them sign a contract.

saera posted this February 23 * # Reply
oh jess that’s horrible! i really hope it doesnt come down to that! you’ll have to keep us updated!

alex posted this February 23 * # Reply
She disgusts me from what I’ve read up there. How unbelievably rude and insensitive! I’m seriously crossing my fingers that you kick her bum all the way to, errr, somewhere far from you.

What. the. Hell? She’s just going to dump you like that!? Whaaaaaat? Thats just sad, its obviously not going to be free, it took time out of your everyday routine!

You bring it Jessica, and you set her straight, because she is acting like a….buttfish

Carly posted this February 23 * # Reply
WOW. My cousin asked me to edit her wedding photos, got $25 haha. But yeah, if this person were related to me I’d go murder her ;)
But yeah… weird thing though that your first lawsuit is being filed against a relative :S

xx

Nusardel posted this February 23 * # Reply
It sucks that it has to come to this… but I hope you get your money. That’s very indecent to have someone do all the work that you’ve done and not pay. It doesn’t matter how close of a family friend she is, you still need to be compensated.

Krysten posted this February 23 * # Reply
OMG, this is really ridicilous. I mean, you’ve worked for that person, you spend a lot of time on it. And she said she would pay you. And after such a long time she doesn’t pay after all. I think it’s good you’re taking action. Aw, I really, really hope you’re getting your money.

Iris posted this February 23 * # Reply
That’s terrible! I hope you win your lawsuit!

Diana posted this February 23 * # Reply
Okay, just wow. If she didn’t like the picture why didn’t she say so from the first place? Worse, her husband said so too! Did she said she’d pay just so you can say no and she wouldn’t have too?

I think you should lawsuit her.

Sophia posted this February 23 * # Reply
That is absolutely crazy!..How can she just say that she doesn’t need your services anymore..and not mention anything about giving you your money. And for her to say the husband and father-in-law weren’t satisfied is just crazy. Because Jessica, you are sooo creative, I’ve been following along with your site for the longesttttt, since wayy back when, the tutorials have helped me so much at bettering myself. You are amazing. I hope everything goes your way, it’s messed up that it’s someone you’re close to, what a way for her to ruin a friendship!

Jessica posted this February 23 * # Reply
Holy shit balls! I can’t believe after all your work they would refuse to pay you, it’s just common courtesy to at least pay you for the work you have done for them up to this point.

Hopefully it won’t require full legal action, and they’ll pay you so things won’t have to go to extremes :)

Brittney posted this February 23 * # Reply
Good for you, Jessica! That is SUPER rude. And oooh, is she gonna bite the dust when you present that email of her saying she’ll pay you.

Anna posted this February 24 * # Reply
What she is doing is super unprofessional and just lacking class and decorum. You’re doing the right thing girl. Hopefully it all works out (L)

Stephanie posted this February 24 * # Reply
ughh, that’s so rude.
what a [insert word of choice here]*!
:p hope you win the lawsuit.

Sydney posted this February 24 * # Reply
Omg, tell me you had her sign a contract or something that she would pay or legal actions would be taken??

ShellyBear posted this February 26 * # Reply
I hope you win this lawsuit. It doesn’t matter if you are a professional service or not. If you have provided somebody with a good service and you demand payment, she should pay you. Especially if she had use some of the pictures.

Ren Aysha posted this July 31 * # Reply
That is really ridonkules! I would be so outraged if I were you.
Not professional, pfffttt.. you do better than the professionals.

Karen posted this August 01 * # Reply

Â« Get us back together? No contract? No Problem Â»

My very first lawsuit

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