Freelance Contract Dispute — ghostwriter wants credit

Looking for advice on a legal issue. Here's what happened.

ghostwriter wants credit. I've been dealing with this for about 6 months now and the situation isn't improving.

The contract was signed 23 months ago. I have a copy of the original agreement. The total amount in dispute is approximately $41,000.

Am I overthinking this or is this a real legal issue worth pursuing?

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

The key question is whether the applicable statute of limitations has run. Depending on your jurisdiction, you typically have common law contract principles years for this type of claim.

You should consult with a local attorney who handles these cases. Many offer free initial consultations.

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

What worked for me was having everything documented. It took 3-6 months but was worth it.

Following this thread — I'm in a very similar situation. Would love to hear how it turns out.

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.

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

I ended up having everything documented, which cost about $3-6 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

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.

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

In my case, it took about 2-4 months to resolve. The key was hiring an attorney to send the initial letter.

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

What worked for me was having everything documented. It took 3-6 months but was worth it.

Following this thread — I'm in a very similar situation. Would love to hear how it turns out.

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.

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

I work in this industry and unfortunately this is very common. The good news is that when people actually push back with legal representation, companies usually settle.

I've dealt with this before.

The biggest mistake people make in this situation is filing with the appropriate government agency. I'd recommend gathering evidence first instead.

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

I went through almost the exact same thing.

I ended up hiring an attorney to send the initial letter, which cost about $2-4 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

I've dealt with this before.

What worked for me was filing with the appropriate government agency. It took 4-8 months but was worth it.