A company came to me, they have a website (go figure right? lol) An employees friend created the website and wasn't paid or anything by the company, and domain and everything is in her name. At the bottom of every page it says Copyright 2007" That would mean that she owns the content correct, not the company? So if that is the case and I redo the site and buy a different domain, I will have to get all new pictures and reword everything correct? Will I be safe if I do that?
If you make new site you own it not her. The company should own the site she made for them. I would ask them if they own site or she does. If she does make new site so you have no problem and ask the company to have her redirect the site to the new one you make.
There wasn't one..she just did it. Its all in her name they didn't pay her...so im guessing i will have to redo everything
There are a lot of things at play here. First, did she work for them at the time she created it? If she did, then they own the rights to it (even if her job was something else and she wasn't paid specifically for the website). If she didn't, then she would own the rights to a certain extent (see below). Second, if she did not work for them, did she create all the content or did she simply place the content they provided her? If they provided the wording, then they own it. If she created the content then she owns it. Third, you cannot copyright layout. So that can be matched regardless. Fourth, images used on the site can get complicated. Any images provided by the business (product shots, logo, etc...) have rights retained by the business (providing they owned the rights in the first place). Any images created by her remain hers. There is a good chance that there are images that neither party has the rights to if she used images from another source. Even if she does own the rights to the site, she may not be able to use the site herself if it contains trademarks owned by the business (atleast not without changing that part). Depending on all the details, they can: 1) buy the site, rights, and domain from her, 2) have you redo everything on a new domain or buy the domain from her for the new work; 3) request the content they own the rights to be returned and use that and just have you finish the rest off.