Anne, I can empathize with your position in this matter. I have gotten to the point that we no longer jerk around with delinquent accounts receivable. We require payment within 30 days. If the payment is late we make two subsequent requests for payment. If we do not receive payment after that, we put them into suit, and we initiate the suit by garnishing their accounts receivable in the hands of their clients. This assures us that there is something there at the end of litigation to pay the claim. This approach may reduce our client base, but who needs delinquent clients...especially when you are only making nickles and dimes on current owner searches. We still have some very good clients that we service. They pay well and on time. We accept new clients of the same caliber, but we do not haggle over price considering the current cost of gasoline. If the potential client wishes to go elsewhere...all well and good. Abstracting has become a sideline with us. There is more money to be made in other areas of this business.