I designed and website and they have chosen to use another web company to host and manage the site. Do I have rights to the overall design and artwork on the site?

Do I have the right to keep my link at the bottom of the site mentioning my company designed the work?

If so, could I charge a unique fee to release my artwork to remove the link?

Thanks!

it depends on what you have stated in your terms and conditions of use. if you state that people who use your designs must leave your link in the template, they you have the right to make them keep it there. if you did that then you can charge a unique fee to have the link removed. if you have not stated it in your terms and conditions then you do not have the right to do that.

on the other hand if you charged a fee for you design, then you should not force your customers to keep your link in their site as it is a bad business practice. what you can do then is have a link to your site on their website as a default and then allow your customers to remove the link if they so choose.

Do I have rights to the overall design and artwork on the site?

Yes, you most definitely do, you are the creator, therefore you hold the copyright to your work. Unless you specifically signed it all over to the client in your terms and conditions, the work is yours.

Hello Lady,

Good to see you're still here

Could you point me to any information you know of that explains this in detail? I'm afraid this company is going to try to sue me once I tell them my artwork has a price tag. If they choose to transfer my work to another web company I feel I'm entitled to more money.

Thank you so much!

-Denny

Yep, still here
The information on copyright would be in the US Code - http://www.copyright.gov/
You created it, you own the copyright, and no one can take that away from you unless you give it up. You have the right to sell your work, but they don't buy the copyright to it - unless you specify that a signed agreement.

Does anyone have further information specifically on this matter. Without obtaining a lawyer, I would like to find specific documentation as to what my rights are.

Thank You!