Judge Judy upholds DJ's contract and orders additional $400 payment from Plaintiff

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Dan The Man

Dan The Man

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Today's Judge Judy episode featured a defendant DJ who didn't provide a certificate of insurance to the venue in time to make the plaintiff (FOB) happy.

Judy ruled in the DJs favor and ordered the plaintiff to pay the additional $400 due the DJ per the contact. The plaintiff didn't cancel before the 30 day window.

The case hinged on the fact that the contract between client & DJ made no mention of insurance or the need to provide a certificate of insurance. The DJ, who has been in business for 8 years, said that he did in fact have insurance and would have provided the certificate in time. However, the plaintiff grew impatient and fired him.

I couldn't find anything but a brief mention of the case on Judy's website: Judge Judy - Watch to learn about Judge Judy's lessons on life and the law

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What struck me is the DJ barely spoke. His contract did all the talking for him. For those of you that bang the contract drum it definitely helped this guy.
 
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I took my photo contract to a lawyer - figure it's best I get it looked at before a bride gets pissed and the first legal review of it is with her lawyer!

He had no issues with it..no suggestions either. (i grabbed a lot of clauses and stuff from other contracts I found here and there). One thing he told me what that for it to be valid it had to be 12 or 14 point type, one sided only and margins of x and y. That made a 2 sided piece of paper a 5 or 6 page contract..enough to scare anyone I asked to sign it.

YOu need basics in there - me, you, when, where. I need X (power, cover, etc) I will provide Y (music, clean music, etc). If you cancel... If I cancel... How to cancel and what happens - if the bride dies teh day before the wedding I'll refund the deposit. If she cancels a week before because he cheated on her, sorry, i'm keeping it. Not happened with my DJ division but happens every year with my wedding photography.

I have in there that I am teh final say on what is played and how loud. I probably have in there that the client is responsible for the safety and security of me and my gear while on site...no clue if that would hold up or not.

A key to most successful contracts is, for lack of a legal term..repercussions. I have in there 'reservation fee' to hold the date (not deposit or retainer), and then 'balance due 3 weeks before'..but if they don't pay on time I have no pentaly / late fee in there.

I have had a few brides come up short on money for the photography and I end up reducing the contract (hours, no album, no second shooter, etc) I had one where I couldn't get a second shooter that was promised so I gave them an hour more and more prints or somehting.
 
I have heard the 12 pt. Font rule before. However, I'm not sure if there is any LAW on contracts that state that font size must be 12 pt. However, what I read is that most courts prefer 12 pt font.

I find it interesting because I have signed many cellular phone agreements over the years, and the font was ALWAYS small on those agreements...especially the long part about terms and conditions. You would think giant corporations had lawyers who handled that and would make sure the font is in 12 pt size or greater if this was the case. Also, I have read that it's a myth that contracts must be typed in "Times New Roman" font style. You can use any font style you want as long as it's easily readable.

Using wing dings 4 probably would get it tossed in the trash in a court room LOL. ...Using Comic Sans is probably borderline
 
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DJ Ricky B said:
I have heard the 12 pt. Font rule before. However, I'm not sure if there is any LAW on contracts that state that font size must be 12 pt. However, what I read is that most courts prefer 12 pt font.

I find it interesting because I have signed many cellular phone agreements over the years, and the font was ALWAYS small on those agreements...especially the long part about terms and conditions. You would think giant corporations had lawyers who handled that and would make sure the font is in 12 pt size or greater if this was the case. Also, I have read that it's a myth that contracts must be typed in "Times New Roman" font style. You can use any font style you want as long as it's easily readable.

Using wing dings 4 probably would get it tossed in the trash in a court room LOL. ...Using Comic Sans is probably borderline
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Maybe the experienced corporate lawyer knows that there is no minimum font size and any judge that threw a contract out on that basis would be grounds for an appeal.

Every time I read credit card terms and conditions I have to put my glasses on and still have a hard time reading. I'd doubt if the type face is any bigger than 8pt. It's not a font that goes out of it's way be easily legible either.

That's the thing about most of us; Everyone's an armchair lawyer or doctor until chit hits the fan then we find out we really don't know much if anything at all. :)
 
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An attorney should be hired to review any legal document before it's used for business purposes. Any business can be sued and anyone who agrees in writing to provide goods and/or services is conducting business.
 
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Fred Wright said:
An attorney should be hired to review any legal document before it's used for business purposes. Any business can be sued and anyone who agrees in writing to provide goods and/or services is conducting business.
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"no no, its a HOBBY...I'm not deducting expenses so it's not a business. I'm not in it for profit. I don't make enough for it to be a business or pay taxes"

so many of the MWAC photogs claim over and over again. (MWAC mom/man with a camera).

One day I hope they get caught and have their nuts put thru the ringer.
 
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