Email Snooping/Divorce from Bed and Board

So my spouse found emails I had with another woman. She claims they were left open on my laptop but I know she went snooping in my account as they were from some time ago. Isn’t this illegal according to federal law? She didn’t just find the email open. She went looking. The email was closed meaning she had to open it. Thoughts?

Also explain in easy to understand terms divorce from bed and board

If the email account was left open or your wife otherwise had access to your email (for example, there was no password needed to logon to the email or you had given her the password long ago and never changed it), then she likely lawfully accessed your email. If she did not have the password and she had to hack into it, then that would likely be unlawful access to your email.

Divorce from bed and board is an action based on fault grounds which enables spouses to separate if they cannot agree to separate on their own or if one spouse will not voluntarily enter into a separation agreement. For example, divorce from bed and board can be used to force a separation by court ordering once spouse to leave the residence. Divorce from bed and board does not dissolve and legally end the marriage.

Check out our article What is a Divorce from Bed and Board? for more detailed information on this claim, including a detailed explanation of the fault grounds necessary to make a claim for divorce from bed and board.


Anna Ayscue

Attorney with Rosen Law Firm Cary • Chapel Hill • Durham • Raleigh • Wake Forest

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