Digi sig's/contracts and web design

Do to a rather bad experience with my last project I am looking to writing a contract for the next one as a solution.

How many of you use Contracts when designing a site?
Can they be legally binding through the internet?
What about digital signatures?

Any suggestions and/or anticdotes are welcome. I need your experience

Thanks

As you apparently found out (unfortunately, the hard way) you MUST always have a written, legally binding contract or license agreement spelled out before you even think about beginning work on a project. You ought to a write up a basic "Terms of Service" type of contract and consult a lawyer to make sure that the wording in it will stand up in court. Then, for each project, you can create a specific, binding agreement between you and the person/company you are doing work for. It's very important to have it spelled out beforehand exactly what you are supposed to be doing and what you are supposed to be getting for it. And yes, a contract can be legally binding over the Internet. Again, you should consult an attorney for help with setting something up initially.

Thanks for the response. I will look into consulting a lawyer.

You said that contracts via the internet are binding...
How does that work since there is no actual physical signature but merely a typed out name...

Know what I mean?

Thanks

I wouldn't consult a lawyer to write the whole thing, just check what you wrote. As far as the contract, it is my understanding that different conditions being met can cause a contract to become binding. For example, at work we have an agreement with our customers which become legally binding if they request, then subsequently keep our product. If after X days they still have it from the time of delivery, they become bound to the terms of their agreement. We do occasionally invoke these agreements as legal contracts although there is no signature. Again, this would have to be something you consult a lawyer for.