Freelance Contract Dispute — client won't pay for completed work

Yeah has anyone dealt with something like this? I'm not sure what my options are.

client won't pay for completed work. I've been dealing with this for about 15 weeks now and the situation isn't improving.

The contract was signed 21 months ago. I have a copy of the original agreement. The total amount in dispute is approximately $48,000 sadly.

What's the typical outcome in situations like this?

Attorney here. Here's my take on the legal issues.

The legal framework here involves both federal and state law. At the federal level, UCC Article 2. Your state may provide additional protections.

A lawyer who does this kind of work could probably help. Some do free consults.

I've dealt with this before.

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