Sandy, UT asked in Criminal Law and Internet Law for Utah

Q: I let my Girlfriend (now ex) use my laptop to access the internet for work purposes. She went into my email and took pic

I let my now ex girlfriend use my laptop so that she could use the internet for work purpose. She accessed my email, took photos of certain emails and has sent those photos to family and friends. The emails were personal (not illegal in any manner) and I did not give her permission to access my email. While I do not wish to press charges, I am wondering if this is illegal for her to have done.

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1 Lawyer Answer

A: Since you allowed her to access the computer without supervision and the images themselves are not illegal, then it is highly unlikely a crime has occurred. You might have some civil recourse against her for publishing without your permission. Those emails are your intellectual property. Libel and slander cases are infamously difficult to win and it does not sound like you were interested in filing a civil complaint either, but I hope this answers your question.

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