A stolen site layout...

Like the title says someone has stolen my site layout, they didn't even have enough sense to change the font color or the tables td color. Is there anything I can do, can I get there site shutdown? Something like that? If so, how would i go about shutting down there site? How could I find out there host? Currently the only info I have is there IP address and there domain name.

My first reaction is "good lucK". Your designs are protected by copyright, however what counts as infringement is subjective, like how much of another work can you publish without permission or it infriniging.

You can find out who owns their current netblock via going to www.netcraft.com and typing in their domain in the "What is that site running?" box in the upper left hand region of the site.

You can also query the Whois database and find out who registered the domain and the various contact information and attempt to contact with a cease and desist. Also, often the technical contact information is their ISP info and whom to contact about infringement.

You'll need to have a lawyer draft up a cease and desist letter on their letter head and send to both the infringer, and the infringer's ISP. The ISP will usually cave as having other's copyrighted works is typically a violoation of TOS.

However, if they rebuff your claim and decide to fight, its going to proably cost several thousand dollars to file suit, so unless its worth $5 - 10k to you, proably not worth your time to persue.

Did they just steal the layout or were images included?

I don't think there is anything to stop them using the same table cell patterns and colour schemes. If they use images from your site then there is something you can but not if its just a general layout.

It happens alot.... But their website never gets far... But what you can do is report it to the service provider that he is registered at. Meaning if he or she is registered at angelfire you contact angelfire about it. Normally they will delete their site without notice.

I developed a site for which I was not compensated.

I'm pretty easy-going and wish them luck, so I turned over the passwords to have someone else MAINTAIN the site. The original site stated "Built and maintained by MY COMPANY NAME." They are now changing that to state that it was built and maintained by someone else.

What are my options? I can easily take the site back, but I would prefer to copyright the site and have a legal friend send them a warning. How do I go about copyrighting my work?

Thanks in advance.

razncain
URL

Most of us have been ripped off by clients or others. That is one reason to develop using CSS and scripting to control presentation and functionality.

Put your CSS and scripts in a proteded directory. Let'em have the HTML.

The current browsers support CSS and most visitors allow scripting.

Beyond that, if it cost more than a dollar and a half to get even it ain't worth it.

I always use this site for a quick reference, they have information on how to protect your copyright, your code etc.http//www.copyrightauthority.com