Torts Keyed to Epstein
Intel Corp. v. Hamidi
ProfessorMelissa A. Hale
CaseCast™ – "What you need to know"
Facts
Plaintiff brought an action of trespass to chattels against Defendant. Plaintiff maintains an electronic mail (e-mail) system. On this mail system, messages between employees and those outside the company can be sent and received. Employers can make reasonable non-business use of this system. Defendant, a former employee, sent emails criticizing Plaintiff’s employment practices to numerous current employees on Plaintiff’s e-mail system. Defendant did not breach any computer security barriers. Defendant offered to remove recipients from his mailing list. Defendant’s e-mails caused neither physical damage nor functional disruption to the company’s computers. However, Defendant’s emails caused discussion among employees and managers. Plaintiff claimed that by communicating with its employees on its e-mail system, Defendant committed the tort of trespass to chattels. The trail court granted Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment. Defendant was enjoined from any further mailings. The Court of Appeals affirmed. Defendant appealed.
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