Legal Question in Business Law in California

Are there laws that govern emails such as the US Postal laws? If I send an email to someone and they forward it without my permission even though I have a confidentiality statement in the signature line, can they be held liable or accountable for this?


Asked on 9/21/09, 10:01 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Bruce Beal Beal Business Law

Your confidentiality statement, which I have not seen, probably only applies to persons you did not intend to send it to. Once you send it to someone you intend to send it to, you have published it, and they may republish it, unless, of course, you have a prior confidentiality agreement of some sort between you for such types of information or for this particular email, or it is copyrightable material and they use it for commercial purposes. Be careful what you put into emails and who you email to, as these communications, being infinitely easier and cheaper to do, than snail mail, can end up intentionally or inadvertently in unexpected embarrassing places.

The above material does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. Each locality has differing laws. Each matter has differing facts. A legal matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved without a comprehensive review and analysis of all the unique facts and laws at issue by an able attorney. Your matter may result in a loss of rights if you do not timely retain such an attorney.

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Answered on 9/29/09, 7:08 pm


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