Ordered to give domain name back to client — Web developer

Web developer trying to hold domain name as lien against unpaid bills.

It’s something we see time and time again…a business lets a web developer register their domain name, and then refuses to give it back.

In the case of a UDRP between Alaska Health Fair, Inc. and Chris Jacobson, there was an added twist: Alaska Health Fair transferred its existing domain name alaskahealthfair.org to Jacobson, apparently thinking this was required for him to perform services.

As stated by the decision by panelist Charles A. Kuechenmeister, Alaska Health Fair’s executive director transferred the domain name to Jacobson while he was doing web development for the group. The executive director may not have known what she was doing, Kuechenmeister writes, but she did correspond via email to help Jacobson take control of the domain.

Now Jacobson states the group owes him money, and he wants to hold on to the domain until he’s paid. The domain name now resolves to a message that states:

“This website is paused for non-pay on overdue invoices. This service is provided by Sunimod and requires recompense. The system will resume when a complete payment against invoice #130424 is made.”

The invoice is for $1,500.

The panelist used this to determine that the domain name was registered and used in bad faith by Jacobson, and ordered it transferred back to Alaska Health Fair.