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Computer Law/separated spouse's e-mail, my e-mail

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Expert: - 12/29/2009


Question
I live in New York state. My husband and I are unofficially separated. I have two sort of related questions regarding e-mail. The first: I have had access to my husband's e-mail; one account by accident, actually, on our home computer, the other by guessing a password (and yes, I'm ashamed to admit this, but this has been an emotionally abusive marriage and there are things I need to know). Have I broken any law? I have not "used" or disseminated any e-mail in any way, not being sure of the legality of any of this for one thing. The related question: I found out that he has been forwarding selected sections of my e-mail to him (and of our daughter's e-mail to him, for that matter) to others (his family and girlfriends, but more importantly to me, a person we both work with). Is that legal, and if not, can I even do anything about it, since I learned by being in his account? Needless to say, I will no longer send him any e-mails...

Answer
Hi Cate,

Any unathorized access to anyones e-mails or accounts is illegal. And anything found during that time illegally in an account should not be forwarded or used.

As for your othe question - once you send an e-mail to someone it can be done wit as they want. There is no privacy once you send it. As I tell my computer crime students, never send anything in an e-mail you would not want the whole world to see, because they just might!

http://law.findlaw.com/state-laws/computer-crimes/new-york/

Be safe and stay well

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Chris Wagoner

Expertise

I can answer questions concerning Computer Crime Investigations and Internet investigations including Computer Crime Laws both at the State level and Federal level. I can answer questions on almost any crime in which a computer is used. In addition I can answer questions concerning copywrite infringement (peer to peer, and copying). I served as a police Commander and conducted and still conduct Computer Crime Investigations at the Local, State and Federal level. I have investigated all most any kind of crime with which or which involved a computer and the internet, from murders, kidnappings, extortion, drug dealing and more. I can answer questions concerning Computer Forensics (the art of recovering information from a suspects computer), Computer Crime Investigations and Internet Investigations. I am a Federally Court Recognized Expert in Computer Crime and Computer Forensics. I have worked in both Facebook and MySPace, also in Peer to Peer investigations. In addition I can answer questions concerning child predators and how to make your children safer on-line. I teach Computer Forensics, Internet Investigations, Peer to Peer Investigations and other computer crime related subjects for several colleges and the Institute of Police Technology and Management. My hobby webpage - Military Videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/3rdID8487

Experience

I conduct computer crime investigations in conjunction with the F.B.I., Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, and University of Florida Police Department, Levi County Sheriff’s Office, Starke Police Department and other agencies in the North Florida Court District. I provide the forensic data recovery services for those agencies as well as internet tracing and information gathering. I am a Federal Court Certified Expert in Computer Crime Investigations and Forensics. I teach Computer Forensics for the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management. I also teach Computer Crime courses for Tallahassee Community College, Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Training Center. Associate Instructor; teach Computer Crime courses thorough out the world for IPTM. Presently Teach Cyber Crime Investigations, Computer Crime Investigations and Computer Forensic Data Recovery Course.

Education/Credentials
2 Degrees in Criminal Justice, now teach college level Data Forensics classes

Awards and Honors
Awarded the FBI Directors Award for assisting the FBI in a National Computer Crime Investigation. Awarded Dec 2002

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