Can we name names in here?

[Renee]

I have two reporters who have not paid me. Their bills are over a year past due. Can I post their names here to warn others?

[Judy]

Well, actually, you can be sued for anything. The question is whether you'll win. And, of course, how much you have to spend to win. Attorneys ain't cheap.

[kathy - iamwrdsmth]

Yes, Erin, that's true,
but to defend yourself, you will have to
prove what you are saying is true.
can you prove that?


kathy

[Renee]

Thanks, Erin. It doesn't matter anymore. She has gotten married and changed her name, and I think she has moved to another state. I don't even know if she's scoping anymore. She used to always talk about quitting. I'll just kiss that $2,000 goodbye and consider it a lesson learned.

[kathy - iamwrdsmth]

can you write off your lost wages on your taxes?

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Yes you can.
I cant remember what the section is called but basically if you are an independent contractor you can write off unpaid invoices.

[Judy]

Actually, it depends on you're on a "cash" vs. "accrual" accounting basis. Most people I know are on a cash basis. If so, no, you can't take it as a loss since you didn't claim it as income to begin with.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Yikes! i have done it a couple of times before.
I hate taxes.. not because I pay money to the government but because I have no idea what 90% of the questions mean.
blaaah.

thanks for clearing this up Judy.

[Judy]

As long as you don't get audited!!

But I admit, I'm no accountant. I'd ask an accountant for any real accounting avice.

[Naola "Sam" Vaughn]

I'd say small claims as well, but having had to take another reporter to small claims for computer equipment she wouldn't pay me for, it's can be a nightmare actually getting your money!!

[kathy - iamwrdsmth]

I think you could contact the CSR board and talk to them about what
recourse you might have. Who knows? perhaps other scopists have
been stiffed by them and you might have a class action suit.
kathy

[Angie]

That's horrible about the reporters not paying you but all I can is that's the nature of the job. Reporters get stuck by attorneys all the time -- for no reason other than they don't want to pay or pay when they feel like it. I agree that perhaps you can start an action in small claims court.

As for naming names, I'm totally against that with respect to scopists merely because reporters can't post all over the web how horrible some scopists are. I've read a lot of the posts that scopists post on their web sites and I'm appalled at what's being said about reporters -- especially how bad they write, not paying, pay rates, charging for this or that, and even going to the extent of scopists listing the reporter's first and last initials along with the state they live in. I've even read there where a scopist called a reporter's judge to notify him that she wasn't paying him!

We as reporters are definitely not allowed to do any of that on any of our web sites at all so I don't feel it should be done anywhere else with respect to the court reporting profession.

[Judy]

I've read a lot of the posts that scopists post on their web sites and I'm appalled at what's being said about reporters -- especially how bad they write, not paying, pay rates, charging for this or that, and even going to the extent of scopists listing the reporter's first and last initials along with the state they live in. I've even read there where a scopist called a reporter's judge to notify him that she wasn't paying him!

Angie,

I agree 100% with everything you said.

I also think that reporters should know about the proofreader/scopist sites that are posting initials with derogatory comments, not to mention the general nastiness that hits the screen regarding upcharging for this, that, and the other. I like to know who I'm dealing with and have learned you have to be very careful in who you choose to place your business, otherwise things might come back to bite you in the arse. Knowledge is power, and if you can find out that the person you're thinking about doing business with is, shall we say, talkative on other sites, maybe it's best to keep going down the list and pass on that person.