Re: [cobalt-users] Reading Emails

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Though others have written you this, Fathi, I thought I'd say it
again...

If you give copies of your client's email to the police without a
warrant or subpoena you will find yourself at the losing end of a
lawsuit.  Whether your client is guilty of anything or not.

First, this email presumes you're in the U.S.  If you're not in the U.S.
none of this may apply; see your attorney.

Get them to give you a warrant or subpoena before giving them any of the
emails.

Then, after you've got it, show it to your attorney.

After your attorney approves it as valid, give the police exactly what
they ask for in the subpoena or warrant, or let them know why you can't
(such as you that you don't have it.

Don't forget, that your client's mail file (in /var/spool/mail [or
/home/spool/mail in the RaQ3]) gets erased as soon as the client
downloads it.

Uusally all you'll have to give the police is a few emails at most, and
some logs.

Do NOT give the police any information in logs about any other clients,
or you'll find yourself open to lawsuits.

This means you'll have to grep logfiles for information to give the
police.

You may certainly charge them for it, and you can even ask them for the
money in advance, though you probably won't get it.  Be sure to get
billing information from them first preferably as part of the warrant or
subpoena, before you start.

Jeff

Fathi Said wrote:
> 
> Hello
> 
> We have a client who is possibly doing illegal activity. For checking this,
> we have to read his emails and forward a copy to the police department --
> but we want to do this without notifying him.
> ...<balance deleted>...
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672
Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 787-8589  *  fax: (909) 782-0205