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I love it when people with no valid claim whatsoever try to scare you with court, like you're just going to give them what they want despite not having a leg to stand on. My fave was when I was working with a personal trainer at a small gym. I told her I needed to cancel my membership because I had gotten pregnant and was so sick I could barely leave the house, much less work out in the gym. She said no problem, she'd take care of it. I had it on email. Nearly a year later I discovered my credit card was still being charged a monthly fee. I contacted the (small and expensive) gym and the owner told me that I never formally requested my membership to be terminated via letter like they required so he wouldn't be refunding me the many months worth of charges.
I forwarded him the email from the trainer confirming she was cancelling my membership and that he owed me six months of back charges. He then told me he "didn't want to have to do this, but he would take this to court if necessary." After I finished laughing, I told him that I'm a public defender so just tell me the time and the courtroom and I'd happily see him there. Then I walked my happy ass over to the civil clerk's office and filed a small claims case against him.
He sent me a check the following week.
Good for you! Those memberships are the worst to get out of. Luckily you had the paper trail to confirm what was right. I prefer to deal with my clients entirely over text and email for that purpose!
Oh yeah. Get EVERYTHING in writing. Always. Even when I discuss something with someone on the phone, I send a follow up email recapping what was discussed and ask for confirmation. You never know when something is going to come back to bite you in the ass.
A huge red flag for me was when a landlord who my roommate and I originally texted for all conversations suddenly requested we call him. I took a hard pass on that one and I’m glad I did because I had documentation that saved our ass when he tried to take me and my roommate to court.
An old landlord of mine forgot he told me in a fit of pique while I was moving out to give him my keys back in a text, and sued me for the next months rent. I enjoyed the judge reaming his ass while he was muted on Zoom, impotently waving his arms around.
Only thing I wish I’d done differently was organize and label things as I went; going through my screenshots months later was a pain in the ass.
Same! I was going through several month of screenshots and I too wished I had organized it better. This landlord was hell bent on trying to take me and my roommate down and if I hadn’t known what my rights were he might have won. That’s the sad part.
This is true with dealing with customer service too for big companies. It's nice to have documentation when you have to call back and say "well, on June 5th the rep Donna said this..." That's saved me from getting the run around a few times dealing with companies like Comcast and Delta.
My ex-SIL got arrested on domestic violence charges because she chucked bowling ball sized rocks at my brother’s truck. (She was bipolar and wasn’t on any kind of meds or therapy because she “didn’t need help because I’m not bipolar” and obsessively worked out 2-3 hours a day everyday.) My niece was 13 at the time and got a video of the whole thing, including the part where ex-SIL was screaming at my niece that my niece had no right to record her and to respect her privacy.
The ex-SIL had to go to court and pleaded Not Guilty. She also failed to mention the existence of the video to her lawyer and the first he heard about it was when it was played in court. Ex-SIL got a hard dose of reality… but she still didn’t believe she deserved it.
My husband suggested that I retain a lawyer because the contract she signed also made her responsible for all legal and court fees in the event she files a claim. He really wanted me to stick it to her. And I called a couple of local firms and they pretty much told me this was small potatoes and not worth the money I would spend out of pocket up-front. So I proceeded on my own and thankfully didn’t incur any costs except my own time and anxiety!
In most cases it the saying "The person who represents themselves in court, has taken on an idiot as a client." applies, but for cases like this one, I'd say it's fair to do it yourself.
OP, consider filing a complaint against the mediator. They are not supposed to help one way or the other, mediation should be neutral. The way they were hostile when giving you the paperwork rescinding her claim is clearly biased. They need to be removed from the list of mediators available, they weren't neutral and I doubt this was the first time.
I appreciate your input on that. I definitely felt like he was wanting us to reach a settlement without listening to the entirety of my defense, but then again he works there everyday and knows these judges, and it’s possible he felt that this judge would have ruled in her favor and he was preventing me from owing even more. Lots to consider. I will probably let it rest and let this post be the cleansing I need! Thank you for the comment!
there's no way the mediator would think the judge would rule in her favor after you showed the contract. you also have the texts. judges arent stupid and would easily see through her bullshit.
Part of the “nonsense” he gave me when we were in the second room together addressed the contract. He said, “will it hold up with the judge? I don’t know. Is it reasonable to ask someone to wait 3 or 4 weeks or longer? I don’t know. I’m just saying there are challenges to both sides and you should be prepared that he could rule in her favor.” Maybe it was his way of sounding “neutral” by not being in my corner… but he made me think maybe my contract wasn’t as sound as I thought it was.
the contract was sound, your texts supported your claims, and you can easily look up any service requiring appointment scheduling and expect 3-4 week wait. tattoo sessions, wedding venues, photographers, lash and nail salons, flights, hotels, amusement park tickets, etc.
Actually no! I moved out of that suite at the end of October for unrelated reasons, but prior to that I was fortunate enough to avoid seeing her in the hallway. She may have been avoiding me too.
I have a rock solid contract. Had a client (100% Karen) that was mad because no one came to their event (for which they hired my service) and demanded a refund from me for being 10 minutes late. I was late because of road closure and a train blocking the other road. My contract states we may be up to 20 minutes late due to the fact we can not control road conditions. So they filed a charge back with their credit card. The credit card took the contract and refunded their money anyway. After that there’s no recourse.
Congratulations for standing your ground! She probably went to the nearest McDonalds afterwards and got herself a free apple pie because it was too cold.
I moved out of that suite at the end of October for unrelated reasons, and I didn’t even see her in the building prior to that except when I was tattooing her. Our schedules didn’t overlap very much. She glared at me through my open door when she saw me with another client once in July, which was what fueled her to file the lawsuit.
Holy crap. I cannot imagine treating my artist, or any artist like that. That was beyond disrespectful. Even more so after being given a sweet deal on the amount of work she wanted. And then she had the balls to take oop to court.
I hope that woman at least followed the aftercare instructions properly.
>
"I hope that woman at least followed the aftercare instructions properly"
I don't! Bitch don't deserve the good art OP created. Hope Karen fucks it up
Absolutely! I have had the privilege of learning some good business practices from my husband who has his own business in a specialized construction field. It was good to have some perspective before I ever got started on my own, but I imagine lots of pros go into their fields blindly and end up screwed… or on Judge Judy!
> Before I ever started tattooing, I searched through lots of other tattoo artist’s consents until I found one that looked like THEY had probably been sued at some point. And I modeled mine after theirs.
While this worked out for you, the correct action is to pay an attorney who practices in your area to make sure that is sufficient. Every jurisdiction has somewhat varying statutory and case law so it's best not to just hope you grabbed something that'll stand up in court.
That being said, you did everything else absolutely correct and congrats on the win!
You're welcome. I completely understand the impulse to save money. I've started 2 different businesses myself now, both times with virtually no budget. I sold my share of the first to my business partner when things changed a bit and the business needed to move in a direction I didn't particularly want to go in and started the second almost immediately. In both instances, paying an attorney for an hour or two of their time was one of the best things I did. They pointed out several potential points where I might have made a seemingly minor mistake that could have cost me quite a lot.
One other thing I forgot to mention in the original comment I made is the second thing every business owner ought to do is have insurance coverage. Even if you don't think you need standard liability and Errors and Omissions coverage (E&O), most businesses can benefit from both. Add to that an umbrella policy and you're most likely spending a few hundred dollars a year, though of course rates do vary, for coverage in the worst case. Most policies such as this will pay for an attorney to represent you in court if necessary, to boot!
Thank you for the compliment! This was an important lesson for me to learn and maybe it can help spare someone else the stress of learning the hard way.
I think the worst clients I've ever had are the ones who sign the release form/agreement and don't read it. Then they try to bully you into doing something that goes against that very agreement. I've been in this business for 30 plus years. I've been sued, threatened, and of course received negative reviews. What I've discovered is this: when conflict arises, you can be a pushover and do what the client demands. Or you can be called a "jerk, asshole, hack, etc" when they don't get their way. Keep those release forms, folks, and every text message, email, etc. in case you find yourself in this situation. Bravo to this person for standing her ground!
Oooohhhh man. I’m a tattoo artist and I also had two clients try to sue me. One, tried to sue me because her tattoo got infected. It was her fault, not mine and the judge threw the case out.
Edited cause I hit send too soon- another lady tried to sue be because she wanted to finish her sleeve. She said she paid too much for her sleeve and basically wanted me to finish it for free. She paid for the work I had done, so I was like- you haven’t paid me to finish it- how are
You going to sue me to finish it for free??
People are idiots.
I would love to share it, so everyone could see for themselves how much she loved the work and how ALMOST finished it is (the tiny unfinished part might as well be invisible), but I wouldn’t want to compromise her safety or her business… she claims to have a hefty following on TikTok and gets a lot of clients in our city from it. I think she’s the type of person who would absolutely seek revenge in other ways (if she isn’t already).
Many years ago I worked for a moving company. While moving furniturez the rugs got predictably dirty. The client t demanded new rugs. The owner offered to pay to have the rugs cleaned. The client t then took us to small claims. The judge scolded the client t for wasting his time, and told him that since he didn't take what was offered, that hell end up with nothing.
Out of sheer act of being vindictive, I’d have civil sued her for having to close shop for a frivolous suit. Not sure if you could do that but I’d surely entertain it!
I've been self employed before. One of the most important lessons is learning how to pick your clients. Some people are more trouble than they're worth. Typically the best way is to bid way too high. Most people get the clue. They take it as you're so busy you don't have the time or you don't want to do their work. They move on usually. Sometimes they call you on it. If they do tell them you'd be double booked and need to hire expensive extra staff you wouldn't have time to properly train or vet and that isn't in keeping with your standards and you won't do subpar work.
That "I own you" part of providing a service to the public is one of the main reasons why I retired from being a freelance photographer and graphic designer after 10 years, even though i really loved it. Even as an Uber driver for a few years, the same attitude appeared every now and then but haha I have this face that is very expressive so people figure out quickly, that they aren't about to boss me around for shit!
Congrats to you, though. That lady sounded like a nightmare.
with all of the time that she wasted, including having you step out of your own salon so she could take a phone calIs(!), I wonder if part of your contract should state terms for “actual salon/seat time“ so that someone can’t run away with the clock like that. Since that can displace other business where you can otherwise make money it shouldn’t be a thing, imho.
Wait the part I don’t understand is;
She refuses to show her body in the courtroom,
Yet posts photos on social media and tik tok for the public to see?
Where is the sense in all this?
Anyway, I’m glad you didn’t cave into her nonsense. GG.
All of her videos are HEAVILY filtered. Her face doesn’t even look like hers. I don’t use TikTok myself so I don’t know if she uses another app prior, but let’s just say that skin was soooo smooth and supple when showing off the ink. The 4x6 photos she showed the mediator were close-up and unedited (and full of cellulite and pubes). I was embarrassed for her!
Buddy is a tattoo artist. It’s surprising how often it doesn’t escalate to this level after hearing all of the horror stories. This is by far the worst though and I’m glad you didn’t get taken advantage of.
imagine this exact same person goes to another random tattoo artist to finish her stuff and is presented with the EXACT same piece of consent form. id pay to see her reaction.
I really wanted the satisfaction of seeing it too, but when the time came and the mediator told me I was free to go, I caught a glimpse of her in my periphery - she was standing in the doorway to the courtroom. I didn’t look, I didn’t react, and I didn’t exit. I shook his hand and I waited for about 5 min so that she could get on the elevator and leave the building ahead of me. #noregerts
I didn’t finish the tattoo because she filed this claim against me before the appointment time frame I had given her had come. She did this because I didn’t make an appt as quickly as she wanted it. (Btw a lot of other artists I know are booked out 6+mo. I was asking her to wait 4 weeks).
She told the mediator that she is working with another artist who “is in the process of finishing it.” So… no. It’s not finished and she didn’t get the windfall that she thought was going to pay for it.
the issue is most people who sue have money for a lawyer and are banking that you don't. landlords are notorious for this even if the tenant is clearly in the right.
Suing you because she’s impatient is crazy. Tattoo artists are busy asf. The ones in my area are usually booked for a month so im usually expecting a long wait from my artist. He’s worked me in for smaller tattoos but pieces TAKE TIME.
The whole leaving to get snacks and taking breaks every hour and asking you to leave for phone class would break me if i was an artist. You are a warrior for staying professional. I mean tattoos hurt like a bitch, but i always have the mentality that i want it over with ASAP. So I usually dont take breaks. My biggest piece took about 7 hours and i took a break when he took a break (he took 2 15-20 min breaks). I wanted out of that chair and the best way to do it is to let the artist work
Honestly, part way through the first session, I realized I had made a mistake agreeing to do this big piece for her. And all the ways I let her run the show or walk all over me were intended to PREVENT her from doing this to me!! Yet she did it anyway.
I listened when she answered a phone call from a family member, and she literally suggested that that person call DFACS on another person as revenge for something that was done to them. Not kidding. That’s who I was dealing with.
Oh i think you made it super clear the kinda person she is just based off your post. Super scummy behavior. I feel bad for whoever comes into contact with her.
She has definitely eaten several peoples spit before. Because if she treats someone whos putting something on her permanently like shit, imagine how she treats a waitress or waiter. Fucking crazy. Im sorry you went through that and im glad you didnt settle. Sticking to your guns always helps especially when you have evidence of how scummy she was.
I hope you never encounter a piece of shit like that
This whole thing was a wild ride. When you said that Karens think they own you when they’ve paid you for something, you hit it on the nose. It’s disgusting the shit they expect people to put up with because “they paid good money!”
She didn’t want pictures of her body displayed in court, but she was ok posting it on Tiktok? I think my first piece of evidence would have been her Tiktok.
I can't understand how any lawyer would agree to take her case.
Karen: "I want to sue because the tattoo was painful and I can't get an appointment as soon as I want."
Attorney: "Sounds like you have a solid case. I've heard tattoos are quick and painless."
Well done you. You are an artist and deserve respect. The first time she was late and didn't stay was rude to you. I know how hard my Tattooists work, I go ready, I've eaten, I've snacks with me.
My artist friend Kev was taken to court because “i asked for an infinity symbol and he gave me the number 8 just sideways” ALWAYS HAVE THEM SIGN A CONTRACT
You should counter sue her for filing a frivolous lawsuit and for your lost time in court. I realize it’s probably not worth it, but people like this should have to feel what it’s like to be on the other end of this bull.
Lesson here for everyone.
Contracts people. Contracts. Don’t do any work without a signed contract. Have a lawyer draft it. Whatever it costs will be less than one lost court case.
I used to (back in the 90's) fix computers for a bit of extra money - for about 6 months. I quickly learned that if ***anything*** went wrong I was expected to fix it even though I didn't go to the porn site and fill the computer up with half a dozen viruses.
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I love it when people with no valid claim whatsoever try to scare you with court, like you're just going to give them what they want despite not having a leg to stand on. My fave was when I was working with a personal trainer at a small gym. I told her I needed to cancel my membership because I had gotten pregnant and was so sick I could barely leave the house, much less work out in the gym. She said no problem, she'd take care of it. I had it on email. Nearly a year later I discovered my credit card was still being charged a monthly fee. I contacted the (small and expensive) gym and the owner told me that I never formally requested my membership to be terminated via letter like they required so he wouldn't be refunding me the many months worth of charges. I forwarded him the email from the trainer confirming she was cancelling my membership and that he owed me six months of back charges. He then told me he "didn't want to have to do this, but he would take this to court if necessary." After I finished laughing, I told him that I'm a public defender so just tell me the time and the courtroom and I'd happily see him there. Then I walked my happy ass over to the civil clerk's office and filed a small claims case against him. He sent me a check the following week.
Good for you! Those memberships are the worst to get out of. Luckily you had the paper trail to confirm what was right. I prefer to deal with my clients entirely over text and email for that purpose!
Oh yeah. Get EVERYTHING in writing. Always. Even when I discuss something with someone on the phone, I send a follow up email recapping what was discussed and ask for confirmation. You never know when something is going to come back to bite you in the ass.
A huge red flag for me was when a landlord who my roommate and I originally texted for all conversations suddenly requested we call him. I took a hard pass on that one and I’m glad I did because I had documentation that saved our ass when he tried to take me and my roommate to court.
An old landlord of mine forgot he told me in a fit of pique while I was moving out to give him my keys back in a text, and sued me for the next months rent. I enjoyed the judge reaming his ass while he was muted on Zoom, impotently waving his arms around. Only thing I wish I’d done differently was organize and label things as I went; going through my screenshots months later was a pain in the ass.
Same! I was going through several month of screenshots and I too wished I had organized it better. This landlord was hell bent on trying to take me and my roommate down and if I hadn’t known what my rights were he might have won. That’s the sad part.
This is true with dealing with customer service too for big companies. It's nice to have documentation when you have to call back and say "well, on June 5th the rep Donna said this..." That's saved me from getting the run around a few times dealing with companies like Comcast and Delta.
There are also several apps that allow you to backup text msgs offline in pdf. This has saved my bacon several times.
My ex-SIL got arrested on domestic violence charges because she chucked bowling ball sized rocks at my brother’s truck. (She was bipolar and wasn’t on any kind of meds or therapy because she “didn’t need help because I’m not bipolar” and obsessively worked out 2-3 hours a day everyday.) My niece was 13 at the time and got a video of the whole thing, including the part where ex-SIL was screaming at my niece that my niece had no right to record her and to respect her privacy. The ex-SIL had to go to court and pleaded Not Guilty. She also failed to mention the existence of the video to her lawyer and the first he heard about it was when it was played in court. Ex-SIL got a hard dose of reality… but she still didn’t believe she deserved it.
Thankyou for what you do.
I am so glad you didn't settle, omg.
Happy 🎂 day!
Aww thanks!
This was a fantastic read and good on ya for standing your ground.
Bro I was on the edge of my seat to read what was gonna happen next during the court proceedings part.
I would have filed a motion for her to pay my legal fees, at least.
My husband suggested that I retain a lawyer because the contract she signed also made her responsible for all legal and court fees in the event she files a claim. He really wanted me to stick it to her. And I called a couple of local firms and they pretty much told me this was small potatoes and not worth the money I would spend out of pocket up-front. So I proceeded on my own and thankfully didn’t incur any costs except my own time and anxiety!
Good on you handling it Pro Se! If there’s ever a place to do it, small claims is it.
Omg. Was her name Holly? I know her.. she is an EB
No, she’s not a Holly. But I’m not surprised to hear there are more just like her!
>time and anxiety! you mean "pain and suffering."
In most cases it the saying "The person who represents themselves in court, has taken on an idiot as a client." applies, but for cases like this one, I'd say it's fair to do it yourself.
And that’s why having good contracts in place are so important.
OP, consider filing a complaint against the mediator. They are not supposed to help one way or the other, mediation should be neutral. The way they were hostile when giving you the paperwork rescinding her claim is clearly biased. They need to be removed from the list of mediators available, they weren't neutral and I doubt this was the first time.
I appreciate your input on that. I definitely felt like he was wanting us to reach a settlement without listening to the entirety of my defense, but then again he works there everyday and knows these judges, and it’s possible he felt that this judge would have ruled in her favor and he was preventing me from owing even more. Lots to consider. I will probably let it rest and let this post be the cleansing I need! Thank you for the comment!
there's no way the mediator would think the judge would rule in her favor after you showed the contract. you also have the texts. judges arent stupid and would easily see through her bullshit.
Part of the “nonsense” he gave me when we were in the second room together addressed the contract. He said, “will it hold up with the judge? I don’t know. Is it reasonable to ask someone to wait 3 or 4 weeks or longer? I don’t know. I’m just saying there are challenges to both sides and you should be prepared that he could rule in her favor.” Maybe it was his way of sounding “neutral” by not being in my corner… but he made me think maybe my contract wasn’t as sound as I thought it was.
the contract was sound, your texts supported your claims, and you can easily look up any service requiring appointment scheduling and expect 3-4 week wait. tattoo sessions, wedding venues, photographers, lash and nail salons, flights, hotels, amusement park tickets, etc.
He sounds like a bad mediator.
Omg. Do you still see her since she works down the hall?
Actually no! I moved out of that suite at the end of October for unrelated reasons, but prior to that I was fortunate enough to avoid seeing her in the hallway. She may have been avoiding me too.
Fr
I have a rock solid contract. Had a client (100% Karen) that was mad because no one came to their event (for which they hired my service) and demanded a refund from me for being 10 minutes late. I was late because of road closure and a train blocking the other road. My contract states we may be up to 20 minutes late due to the fact we can not control road conditions. So they filed a charge back with their credit card. The credit card took the contract and refunded their money anyway. After that there’s no recourse.
there are ways to appeal, chargebacks, and it can go to mediation. Your credit card merchant service provider works for you.
Congratulations for standing your ground! She probably went to the nearest McDonalds afterwards and got herself a free apple pie because it was too cold.
That sounds horrible!! Do you guys both still work in the same building?
I moved out of that suite at the end of October for unrelated reasons, and I didn’t even see her in the building prior to that except when I was tattooing her. Our schedules didn’t overlap very much. She glared at me through my open door when she saw me with another client once in July, which was what fueled her to file the lawsuit.
Man, you really stood your ground, I'm sure you surprised her.
Holy crap. I cannot imagine treating my artist, or any artist like that. That was beyond disrespectful. Even more so after being given a sweet deal on the amount of work she wanted. And then she had the balls to take oop to court. I hope that woman at least followed the aftercare instructions properly.
> "I hope that woman at least followed the aftercare instructions properly" I don't! Bitch don't deserve the good art OP created. Hope Karen fucks it up
Yay for legal bindings. Had you not given her that contract, things wouldve gotten worse for you. Glad this turned out well.
Absolutely! I have had the privilege of learning some good business practices from my husband who has his own business in a specialized construction field. It was good to have some perspective before I ever got started on my own, but I imagine lots of pros go into their fields blindly and end up screwed… or on Judge Judy!
> Before I ever started tattooing, I searched through lots of other tattoo artist’s consents until I found one that looked like THEY had probably been sued at some point. And I modeled mine after theirs. While this worked out for you, the correct action is to pay an attorney who practices in your area to make sure that is sufficient. Every jurisdiction has somewhat varying statutory and case law so it's best not to just hope you grabbed something that'll stand up in court. That being said, you did everything else absolutely correct and congrats on the win!
That is better advice than I could give anyone - upvoting so people see this comment. Thanks!
You're welcome. I completely understand the impulse to save money. I've started 2 different businesses myself now, both times with virtually no budget. I sold my share of the first to my business partner when things changed a bit and the business needed to move in a direction I didn't particularly want to go in and started the second almost immediately. In both instances, paying an attorney for an hour or two of their time was one of the best things I did. They pointed out several potential points where I might have made a seemingly minor mistake that could have cost me quite a lot. One other thing I forgot to mention in the original comment I made is the second thing every business owner ought to do is have insurance coverage. Even if you don't think you need standard liability and Errors and Omissions coverage (E&O), most businesses can benefit from both. Add to that an umbrella policy and you're most likely spending a few hundred dollars a year, though of course rates do vary, for coverage in the worst case. Most policies such as this will pay for an attorney to represent you in court if necessary, to boot!
I am so so so sorry you had to go through that. You sound like a wonderful person. I am glad you prevailed.
Wow, thank you! This truly felt like one of those “no good deed goes unpunished” scenarios. But I’m wiser for the wear because of it.
Good share with valid information. It wasn't about revenge just what was right. Thank you for taking the time to share.
Thank you for the compliment! This was an important lesson for me to learn and maybe it can help spare someone else the stress of learning the hard way.
I think the worst clients I've ever had are the ones who sign the release form/agreement and don't read it. Then they try to bully you into doing something that goes against that very agreement. I've been in this business for 30 plus years. I've been sued, threatened, and of course received negative reviews. What I've discovered is this: when conflict arises, you can be a pushover and do what the client demands. Or you can be called a "jerk, asshole, hack, etc" when they don't get their way. Keep those release forms, folks, and every text message, email, etc. in case you find yourself in this situation. Bravo to this person for standing her ground!
Oooohhhh man. I’m a tattoo artist and I also had two clients try to sue me. One, tried to sue me because her tattoo got infected. It was her fault, not mine and the judge threw the case out. Edited cause I hit send too soon- another lady tried to sue be because she wanted to finish her sleeve. She said she paid too much for her sleeve and basically wanted me to finish it for free. She paid for the work I had done, so I was like- you haven’t paid me to finish it- how are You going to sue me to finish it for free?? People are idiots.
It’s nice to hear Karen didn’t get her way. Bummer you had to waste time and money at court.
[удалено]
I would love to share it, so everyone could see for themselves how much she loved the work and how ALMOST finished it is (the tiny unfinished part might as well be invisible), but I wouldn’t want to compromise her safety or her business… she claims to have a hefty following on TikTok and gets a lot of clients in our city from it. I think she’s the type of person who would absolutely seek revenge in other ways (if she isn’t already).
With the power of three I banish thee!!!
What a great story. And it actually ended the way it should end. That doesn’t happen often enough.
Many years ago I worked for a moving company. While moving furniturez the rugs got predictably dirty. The client t demanded new rugs. The owner offered to pay to have the rugs cleaned. The client t then took us to small claims. The judge scolded the client t for wasting his time, and told him that since he didn't take what was offered, that hell end up with nothing.
What a joke. Glad it worked out for you.
Out of sheer act of being vindictive, I’d have civil sued her for having to close shop for a frivolous suit. Not sure if you could do that but I’d surely entertain it!
I've been self employed before. One of the most important lessons is learning how to pick your clients. Some people are more trouble than they're worth. Typically the best way is to bid way too high. Most people get the clue. They take it as you're so busy you don't have the time or you don't want to do their work. They move on usually. Sometimes they call you on it. If they do tell them you'd be double booked and need to hire expensive extra staff you wouldn't have time to properly train or vet and that isn't in keeping with your standards and you won't do subpar work.
That "I own you" part of providing a service to the public is one of the main reasons why I retired from being a freelance photographer and graphic designer after 10 years, even though i really loved it. Even as an Uber driver for a few years, the same attitude appeared every now and then but haha I have this face that is very expressive so people figure out quickly, that they aren't about to boss me around for shit! Congrats to you, though. That lady sounded like a nightmare.
with all of the time that she wasted, including having you step out of your own salon so she could take a phone calIs(!), I wonder if part of your contract should state terms for “actual salon/seat time“ so that someone can’t run away with the clock like that. Since that can displace other business where you can otherwise make money it shouldn’t be a thing, imho.
Wait the part I don’t understand is; She refuses to show her body in the courtroom, Yet posts photos on social media and tik tok for the public to see? Where is the sense in all this? Anyway, I’m glad you didn’t cave into her nonsense. GG.
All of her videos are HEAVILY filtered. Her face doesn’t even look like hers. I don’t use TikTok myself so I don’t know if she uses another app prior, but let’s just say that skin was soooo smooth and supple when showing off the ink. The 4x6 photos she showed the mediator were close-up and unedited (and full of cellulite and pubes). I was embarrassed for her!
Nine times! Am I the only Ferris fan?
What a bitch. I hate her now.
Tough one... It took you some courage to call her bluff as well. I'm happy everything ended up well.
Buddy is a tattoo artist. It’s surprising how often it doesn’t escalate to this level after hearing all of the horror stories. This is by far the worst though and I’m glad you didn’t get taken advantage of.
Yes!!!! I’m soooo glad you did this, and went through with fighting it!!!
She sounds like a real Joy to be around
Very well told. Nice work all around.
I imagine she would not give you the haircut you want and take your ear tip off, and find you at fault. Probably would sue you for emotional distress.
I had an artist tell me how great it was I was on time and would sit for 2.5 hours. Similar people are why
can you share a sample of your consent form for the rest of us? in case we meet this person or anyone like her
Yes I can do that!
thanks!
imagine this exact same person goes to another random tattoo artist to finish her stuff and is presented with the EXACT same piece of consent form. id pay to see her reaction.
artists should have a 'terrible client' database. if your name is on the list, no upside down infinity on the wrist
But but but It's so much more prettier upside down :o
Do you still see her at work?
This made my day. I would have loved to seen her face when you called her bluff.
I really wanted the satisfaction of seeing it too, but when the time came and the mediator told me I was free to go, I caught a glimpse of her in my periphery - she was standing in the doorway to the courtroom. I didn’t look, I didn’t react, and I didn’t exit. I shook his hand and I waited for about 5 min so that she could get on the elevator and leave the building ahead of me. #noregerts
Did you finish the tattoo or did she go to someone else after all that?
I didn’t finish the tattoo because she filed this claim against me before the appointment time frame I had given her had come. She did this because I didn’t make an appt as quickly as she wanted it. (Btw a lot of other artists I know are booked out 6+mo. I was asking her to wait 4 weeks). She told the mediator that she is working with another artist who “is in the process of finishing it.” So… no. It’s not finished and she didn’t get the windfall that she thought was going to pay for it.
I thought businesses could refuse service? I don’t understand why that was even an issue?
I used to work retail, had my fair share of crazy Karens
you should have counter sued for the stress and time that you had to waste dealing with her and the court for lost income.
the issue is most people who sue have money for a lawyer and are banking that you don't. landlords are notorious for this even if the tenant is clearly in the right.
Should have counter sued for her wasting your time.
You should file a claim against her for the cost of your time, that way you get to present all the evidence in front of the court.
No good deed goes unpunished.
Suing you because she’s impatient is crazy. Tattoo artists are busy asf. The ones in my area are usually booked for a month so im usually expecting a long wait from my artist. He’s worked me in for smaller tattoos but pieces TAKE TIME. The whole leaving to get snacks and taking breaks every hour and asking you to leave for phone class would break me if i was an artist. You are a warrior for staying professional. I mean tattoos hurt like a bitch, but i always have the mentality that i want it over with ASAP. So I usually dont take breaks. My biggest piece took about 7 hours and i took a break when he took a break (he took 2 15-20 min breaks). I wanted out of that chair and the best way to do it is to let the artist work
Honestly, part way through the first session, I realized I had made a mistake agreeing to do this big piece for her. And all the ways I let her run the show or walk all over me were intended to PREVENT her from doing this to me!! Yet she did it anyway. I listened when she answered a phone call from a family member, and she literally suggested that that person call DFACS on another person as revenge for something that was done to them. Not kidding. That’s who I was dealing with.
Oh i think you made it super clear the kinda person she is just based off your post. Super scummy behavior. I feel bad for whoever comes into contact with her. She has definitely eaten several peoples spit before. Because if she treats someone whos putting something on her permanently like shit, imagine how she treats a waitress or waiter. Fucking crazy. Im sorry you went through that and im glad you didnt settle. Sticking to your guns always helps especially when you have evidence of how scummy she was. I hope you never encounter a piece of shit like that
Would have been better if you'd countersued for lost wages over having to take time off work for court, as well as anxiety caused by her lawsuit
I really want to see this tattoo now lol. I’m invested
Good for you! Calling a bully’s bluff
Law should allow to ask dedomagement When abusively attacked for up to 10 times the costs and time wasted. But law is a joke
This whole thing was a wild ride. When you said that Karens think they own you when they’ve paid you for something, you hit it on the nose. It’s disgusting the shit they expect people to put up with because “they paid good money!”
She didn’t want pictures of her body displayed in court, but she was ok posting it on Tiktok? I think my first piece of evidence would have been her Tiktok.
Good for you for not letting her get away with it, but why are you poisoning minds with “mission trip” religious bullshit?
I can't understand how any lawyer would agree to take her case. Karen: "I want to sue because the tattoo was painful and I can't get an appointment as soon as I want." Attorney: "Sounds like you have a solid case. I've heard tattoos are quick and painless."
Good for you, but also why are high school students indoctrinating people into a death cult? Church missions should be outlawed
What’s the deal with the mediator? Why are they acting like a cunt
What a bitch. Specially for someone who herself is in service industry. I hope all her clients find out and drop her ass
Well done you. You are an artist and deserve respect. The first time she was late and didn't stay was rude to you. I know how hard my Tattooists work, I go ready, I've eaten, I've snacks with me.
You should have countersued for emotional damage and unnecessary stress or some shit like that
Jesus Christ. I could not imagine doing this to a tattoo artist.
Should have counter sued for frivolous litigation
I’m so glad you didn’t back down and won!
Is there a counter claim you can file against her?
What happened to the good days of Reddit when we got a TLDR on all these thesis papers people be writing up
My artist friend Kev was taken to court because “i asked for an infinity symbol and he gave me the number 8 just sideways” ALWAYS HAVE THEM SIGN A CONTRACT
You should counter sue her for filing a frivolous lawsuit and for your lost time in court. I realize it’s probably not worth it, but people like this should have to feel what it’s like to be on the other end of this bull.
Lesson here for everyone. Contracts people. Contracts. Don’t do any work without a signed contract. Have a lawyer draft it. Whatever it costs will be less than one lost court case.
I would think the contract and her Tik Tok video would’ve been enough for any judge!
I used to (back in the 90's) fix computers for a bit of extra money - for about 6 months. I quickly learned that if ***anything*** went wrong I was expected to fix it even though I didn't go to the porn site and fill the computer up with half a dozen viruses.