Legal Question in Intellectual Property in Illinois

Re: Copyright on Personal Correspondence

No. The writer of the letter owns the copyright and all derivative rights(including copying and publication). Even though you received the letter, and consider it your property, the writing is not yours, and you must obtain permission from the copyright holder for re-publication. If you publish without an OK, you could be subject to penalties under copyright law, and possibly other state laws,(invasion of privacy, defamation,(?) depending on the content matter, and depending on whether your disclosures results in damages or harm to the reputation of the writer.