Calif. Supreme Court to review e-mail case

The California Supreme Court has agreed to review a lower court's decision that companies can sue those who send unwanted e-mail to their employees, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Three months ago, California's 3rd District Court of Appeal upheld an injunction against ex-Intel employee Kourosh Kenneth Hamidi, saying e-mail he sent over the objections of the company to Intel's staff was an illegal "trespass." The EFF said it was pleased by the Supreme Court to review the appeals court decision and filed an amicus letter.

Hamidi, fired from Intel six years ago, sent six disgruntled e-mails to Intel's staff mailing list over a two-year period. Intel asked him to stop sending the e-mail; he refused, and the chipmaker filed a complaint in 1998.