I am starting an internet business, and I brought a partner in to handle all the techie side of things. Verbal agreement only, which I now realize was not the smartest move.

He has failed to provide the product that he promised, and my business launch has been delayed twice already, and appears will be delayed a third time, since the product still hasn't left his development queue. I have tried to be patient, but it has been nearly a year since promised delivery.

My question is, what is required of me to terminate the partnership and find another party to complete the project? I expect I will need to compensate him for the work already put in, though I am not sure that it will be a usable platform for whomever picks up the project. Am I allowed to prorate the compensation based on my lost time on this project?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Some partnership! Obviously your partner isn't serious about the deal or you wouldn't have been delayed. That is unless you made up the deadlilnes yourself. Have you seen the work? If not, just say to him, "have a nice life", and move on with absolutely no obligation.

If you have seen the work and you want to use it knowing you will need to pay for it, you need to negotiate the best deal for you. I'd bet that as soon as your partner knows there's money in it it will soon become the most important project ever! I'd offer a very low 100% all rights and files buyout.

Hope this helps.

Kent Capener
Capener Consulting, LLC
http://www.capenerconsulting.com

This is the partnership that never was. I'm assuming he put in no cash and what he was bringing to the table was his work product. If that's the case...I don't see where there's a partnership. When he failed to deliver on his portion of the contract he breached it which invalidates the entire thing.

If he were me...I wouldn't accept the work product now or in the future and would send him a certified letter stating your intent to end the partnership based on the fact he breached the contract by not delivering in a timely manner.

Now the caveat...spend a hundred bucks and verify my info by TALKING TO AND ATTORNEY.
Good luck
Denny

Denny