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[BC9696]

Jurisdiction/Place:

In the ever-changing landscape that is internet law, does anyone know what state & federal laws say about email? Who owns it? The sender? The recipient? Both? What if you place email exchanges in the public domain? Protections? Liabilities? What about privacy statements at the bottom of emails (see below)? They carry any weight? What if someone requests you share email you received from someone else (a third party)? Anyone got the current 411 on this?

Sample of notice:
This communication, including any attachments, may contain privileged or confidential information intended for a specific individual and purpose, and is protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify [(XXX) XXX-XXXX, XXXXXXXX@yahoo.com] and you should delete this communication and/or shred the materials and any attachments and are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, or distribution of this communication, or the taking of any action based on it, is strictly prohibited.

[thelawprofessor]

It's difficult to ascertain the enforceability of such a notice. Until a judge indicates one way or another whether it's enforceable, it's impossible to say. Regardless of it's questionable value, it serves as a potential placebo for many corporate counsel...