Legal Question in Technology Law in Iowa

Re: A database from another business

This is similar to using a business's phone book or newspaper, but it is also similar to taking and using the business's furniture or supplies or leting you use their computers without permission. The wrong, if any, in the scenario you described is done by the person surreptitiously taking the item and giving it to you. That is, the person giving you the list to use, since the database document was the property of the business, purchased by the business, probably intended only for use authorized by the business. While the information is public, the document was apparently private property. Depending on how you obtained the document, there may be a theft or embezzlement issue for the one giving it to you, and for you there may be a receipt of stolen property or a co-conspirator issue. It is possible that criminal charges or civil action might be taken against you, depending on the importance of the document to the business, and whether they find out. I suspect that if the business is concerned about stopping such misuse of their documents, they would first take some action against the one who took their document and gave it to you. The fact that you are asking about the possibility of criminal charges indicates to me that there may be more to this than just the facts stated in your inquiry. Be careful!