If I’m a freelance programmer working from my home in Bulgaria but a US customer has not paid me, do I have to go to US to file a suit or is there an easier way?
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If I’m a freelance programmer working from my home in Bulgaria but a US customer has not paid me, do I have to go to US to file a suit or is there an easier way?
I did a project for a small US firm and sent a invoice for completed jobs in the amount of 6K yet they refuse to pay. I want to sue them; where do I file? Do I file the suite in a state, federal or municipal court? As they accepted the invoice couple times before, can I use it as an evidence?
Asked on October 15, 2014 under Business Law, Ohio
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
1) You can file a suit in state court for the state in which the customer is located. That is the only appropriate court under U.S. law. (As to whether you can sue him in Bulgaria under Bulgarian law, you'll need to check with a Bulgarian attorney.)
2) The documents you describe are certainly helpful, but if the case goes to trial, you'd have to appear in the American court. Documents cannot be submitted on their own as the only evidence; there must be live witness testimony, in court, to authenticate them.
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