Work for Hire Dispute — open source code in commercial product

I'm in a difficult situation and trying to figure out my next steps.

open source code in commercial product. I've been dealing with this for about 6 weeks now and the situation isn't improving.

This involves content I created over the past 24 months. I do not have documentation proving my ownership and timeline.

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, 17 U.S.C. § 106. Your state may provide additional protections.

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

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

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

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

In my case, it took about 4-8 months to resolve. The key was filing with the appropriate government agency.

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

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

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

NAL, but from what I've read, you should file a complaint. That said, definitely get a lawyer to look at the specifics.

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 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 having everything documented. I'd recommend keeping a detailed timeline instead.

Been there. Here's what I learned.

What worked for me was hiring an attorney to send the initial letter. It took 2-4 months but was worth it.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

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