I hired a web developer and database programmer to design me a website with some interesting functionality that no other site provides. The company I hired to build the site had me sign a statement that they would own the code.
Now I want to have another company redesign the site. Do I have the right to take the code somewhere else for a redesign? I don’t like what this company did in terms of the layout and overall look and feel of the site. They claim that changing around the look and feel will cost thousands of dollars, and I found another company that would change for much cheaper. I am held hostage to the original company because they “own the code”. Don’t I own the idea, since it was my idea? Can they legally sell the idea and the code to my competitors??
