Domain Legal Question

[Stooney]

A IT client of mine has had their website hosted by a local guy for a while.  Recently they've decided they've decided they want a different host.  Now, the current host owns the GoDaddy account and is listed only as an administrative contact on the WHOIS for the domain, the business is listed as the actual registrant. 

 

What defines the legal owner of the domain?  He is claiming that it's his property and that they cannot move it.

 

The website itself does not matter as they want a new one written, the only important thing here is the domain. 

[Pikachu2000]

Whoever is listed as the registrant would be the owner, I would think, but a lawyer would be the best person to contact for an opinion.

[ignace]

Get a lawyer, this is going to get messy! If he bought the domain and you only rented it with him, and payed him monthly, that still makes him the owner!

[Doug G]

When you say the business is listed as the registrant, if you mean your client's business they can get in touch with GoDaddy to gain access to the registration record.  At least a client of mine was able to do a similar move with Verisign back when they were Network Solutions.  I believe they had to fax some documentation to Network Solutions to prove they were the business in question, but then they were able to get their domain back into their control from their developer (who was pulling an almost identical maneuver).