e-mail and PM's as court evidence

let's find all the facts, cases and news reports of this subject...

CAN electronic correspondance be used as evidence in a court of law?

what I'm finding is: Yes. it absolutely most certainly can. but it can also be thrown out as evidence too. for every case you find of it being dismissed as evidence, there is a case allowing it.

http://www.cryoserver.com/servlet/dycon/zentext/cryoserver/cryoserver/en/Graphic/evidence_index

http://www.out-law.com/page-5537

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20030204/1431244.shtml

http://www.forensicon.com/articles/liability-of-email-as-evidence.asp

a recent high-profile case where e-mail just added to suspicion, but didn't prove anything:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/dakarr29.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/frompost/nov98/email01.htm

http://arkfeld.blogs.com/ede/email/

what are your thoughts on this? The forensic science of validating the origin of email is interesting...

I don't know enough about the forensics of emails, but if it can be proven "without a shadow of a doubt" then I say use them. I'm sure a lot of people send all sorts of nasty messages without thinking they can be kept or used in the future.

When in doubt...do without. I should think that it isn't much different from the any case that uses phone records. And in the current atmosphere (read 'erosion of rights under semi-fascist administration')...I can see anything and everything becoming okay to use for prosecution.

'Never write anything down'...as my lawyer tells me.

...hmmm, my lawyer says: don't lie or break the law.

Quote:

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...hmmm, my lawyer says: don't lie or break the law.

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He doesn't mean it. He'd be out of a job if you followed his advice.