Brand Name / Business Name Conflict — someone copied my website design

I've been trying to resolve this on my own but I'm stuck.

someone copied my website design. I've been dealing with this for about 9 months now and the situation isn't improving.

This involves original creative work over the past 31 months. I do not have documentation proving my ownership and timeline.

Do I have a strong case? What should my next steps be?

I practice in this area. Here's my take on the legal issues.

This is a common situation and the law is fairly clear. Under 17 U.S.C. § 106, substantially similar.

One important thing — there are strict deadlines for filing these claims. Don't wait too long.

Just want to point out — the statute of limitations might be a factor here. In some states it's as short as 1-2 years. Don't sit on this too long.

Not a lawyer, but I have direct experience with this.

The biggest mistake people make in this situation is escalating to a supervisor/manager. I'd recommend following the formal complaint procedure instead.

Have you tried reaching out to your state's legal aid society? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.

NAL, but from what I've read, you should check your state's specific laws. That said, definitely get a lawyer to look at the specifics.

I've seen this play out several times in my field.

I ended up filing with the appropriate government agency, which cost about $4-8 but saved me a lot more in the long run.