Who Own This Domain?

[kman1985]

So I did a website for a client.  I hosted everything and bought the domain.  We had a falling out.  And he got his own hosting, I updated the domain with his hosting info.  So technically who owns the domain?  I bought it, my email address is registered with it, but I did put his info for the whois contact information.  Any info would help.  Thanks.

[neufuse Veteran]

did they pay you for it? if so they own it, but unless there is paperwork showing that it's always going to be questionable... you need things in writing

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

The client has paid you for a service, registering and administering the domain. However you have registered in the clients name, so the client owns it.

I'd just transfer the domain to the client and be done with it personally.

[kman1985]

We had a falling out and the client didn't pay me in full, no paper work was involved, which was my falt, I thought I could trust him.

[xendrome]

If you legally paid for the domain and can show receipt, and there was no agreement on the clients part to get some type of ownership document completed. Then I'd say you technically own it. Can they show e-mails where they say to you "You buy it for us and we will pay you back" then can you show the fact that they never paid you in full? If so, it's yours.

[TAZMINATOR]

If you legally paid for the domain and can show receipt, and there was no agreement on the clients part to get some type of ownership document completed. Then I'd say you technically own it. Can they show e-mails where they say to you "You buy it for us and we will pay you back" then can you show the fact that they never paid you in full? If so, it's yours.

Bingo.

If no agreement or contract, anything like that, then it's too bad. you already lost the domain to the client ...  you won't be able to win it back at the court.

You have to have a proof  to the court that you can show that the domain can be yours due the payment overdue from the client.

But if client paid for the domain, than you can not win it back because it is belong to the client. You can not do anything about it.

[DevTech]

kman1985 paid for a domain and as long as kman is the admin on the domain it is his domain - simple - and kman can change the hosting to a simple web page that says "pay me what you owe me you low lifes" or something less polite perhaps

if the client does not agree with it, then the client can start legal action in the country that the domain registrar operates in but since there is no contract, kamn can always say he just set up the hosting as a nice thing to do but changed his mind.

the giant exception is trademarks - if the clients company is named "We don't stick to agreements but buy our product anyways if you are stupid enough" and the domain name is "wedontsticktoagreementsbutbuyourproductanywaysifyouarestupidenough.com" then kman would lose a web squating request. if the domain name is "RipoffsRWhatWeDo.com" then kman owns the name.