first get a copy of the templates and e-mail it to yourself to show that you made this design on the day you sent e-mail to prove it’s your then hire a lawyer
“he probably told his friend that he made that layout.”
A professional web designer will not want to risk his or her reputation over something like this.
Send a cease and dis to both him, the web designer and his ISP.
Make a screen shot of his site NOW with any dates if you can to prove that it’s the same.
Blow smoke, but it’s not worth a lawyer.
It really sounds to me like this guy is enjoying yanking your chain. I think your best bet is to just ignore him.
Exactly, It’s not worth a lawyer unless your a rich boy! Everyone is like hire a lawyer… I don’t think 80 percent of you would hire a lawyer… it costs money! And for the some reason, It’s a personal gaming site… who cares?
Good point 
The Copyright/Patent Office in your country is always a good place to start.
Interesting question: Has anyone registered a web design solution as Industrial Design? The same way you can register design of coffee kettles, knitting patterns etc.
I think Harley Davidson registered the sound of a HD as a trademark (==anything’s possible!)
Haven’t we had this discussion before?
http://www.sitepointforums.com/showpost.php?postid=618681&postcount=6
I can tell you that putting the words “copyright” on a website in the US will not hold up in court without proper registration, or proof of ownership. The only way to prove ownership legally is to burn the website on cd with original dates of authenticity, and send in a self-addressed-stamped envelope to yourself (registered return receipt) and keep in a safe place, unopened, or register with the copyright office. It is much easier to prove theft if there is a copyright notication listed in a governmental office. And you better well have some bucks if you seek a copyright lawyer because the process is long and complicated.
Hehe, looks identical to my old advice: If you get a great idea, write it down and mail to yourself.
And now you have stolen my advice!!! 
I will contact my lawyer immediately…
LOL!!! Are you mocking me? Will it EVER be forgotten?!?
I was wondering if this happened to a layout you made that you were selling and somebody else took parts of it and used it on his and sold it
Could you sue him?
Just to change the subject a little, why would a “pro” web designer create a flash intro? That has amateur written all over it!
Very simple… Because the client asks for it… 
So tell the client (in the most polite way possible) that Flash animations annoy virtually all potential customers. Not only do they extend the time taken to find out important information from the website, they are crap for search engine positioning and, most the time, look naff!
If nothing is done about it, I’m going to start a revolution against Flash intros!!
“Down with flash intros… down with flash intros!”
And don’t do that please, we are talking “Is it legal to copy a website’s layout?” here, not “Are Flash intros legal?”
More related to the subject: When is it legal to copy another design (any type of design) and use it when you design a web site?
Examples: Can I use a 50 year old wallpaper - and now I mean real wallpaper - as background on a page? Is it OK to create a logo that resembles a trademark that hasn’t been in use for 25 years? Etc…
OK…
Back to the original subject then ;), I’ve recently been working on a website at work which is virtually a complete rip of another website that was done by a lad in Germany. I wasn’t too keen on doing this as (a) it seems really cheeky as this guy had done a lot of work to come up with a nice design and (b) you don’t feel proud about creating a new design by yourself. As for the legalities, I wouldn’t be surprised if a court case will appear in the future and to be entirely honest, I hope there will be. I’ve gone ahead with the design as it was the bosses decision and not mine (and I needed my job). It’s interesting to find out that if you write the idea down and send it to yourself, it becomes copyrighted. I think I’ll do that in the future of any designs. I suppose a screengrab printed out would help as well !!??
The post you just made is copyrighted untill you die and then for another 50 to 70 after that too.
In the US, I can get off quoting you on “fair use” grounds. Where I am, there is no such thing as “fair use”, I just infringed on your copyright.
The question then is: Was it a criminal offence?
Not here, I didn’t try to sell or hire it.
Could you sue me in a court?
Naa, because the value of your post is about $0, you’d get thrown out.
That is basically how it works
Douglas
Yes but if you presented that quote as your own, you are not neccesarily (sp?) infringing on his copyrights, but aren’t you engaging in plagerism? Isn’t that what plagerism is? Quoting copyrighted works and presenting it as your own? And is that a criminal offense only if you sell it? Just an question or two. or three.
I’m no expert, but here is the law in the UK:
Douglas
Yes, yes, yes, no, respectively ;).
no, it’s not a criminal offense at all? or it is a criminal offense even if you are giving it away?
Your violating copyright laws but yu cant go to jain for that. You could risk a civil suite though.
I think Vinnie means the answer is No to the question “And is that a criminal offense only if you sell it?”
(Correct?)
I.e. you don’t have to sell it to be criminal, it’s the copyright infringement, plagiarism or whatever that is illegal. And giving someone else’s work away for free is… can’t find the correct word…