The 1998 photocopied contract that taught me to scan everything

Back in 2002 I took a freelance logo job for a small restaurant chain outside Cleveland. They paid fine, but 8 months later they used the same design on merch without paying extra. I had the original signed contract on paper, but it was faded and I couldn't prove the terms covered merch. My lawyer basically said without a clear digital copy you're arguing over a smudge. Now I scan every signed doc within an hour, save it to two drives and email myself a copy. Takes 2 minutes but it's saved me twice since. Anyone else get burned by relying on paper copies before going digital?

2 comments

2 Comments

thomas_campbell392d ago

Did your lawyer actually look at the original paper, or just a copy of it? Because ink fades on the original too, but a good document examiner can sometimes pull out details from the indentation left by the pen press. I get your point about scanning early, and it's solid advice, no doubt. But paper copies aren't always as useless as people think, the problem is usually how they're stored. Heat, light, and humidity wreck them way faster than most folks realize. A faded contract in a shoebox is a different beast than one in a fireproof safe in a dark closet. Still, you're right that digital is the way to go, I've got a scanner app on my phone and use it for everything now. That lesson about merch rights, ouch, that's a nasty one to learn the hard way.

the_lucas1d ago

Ever tried photographing both sides with a ruler in frame, @thomas_campbell39? Same trick works for indents.