The American Records Management Association Education Foundation sponsored a research project by John C. Montaña, J.D., titled Legal Obstacles to E-Mail Message Destruction (42 pages, pdf), published October 19, 2003. The report addresses risk management associated with e-mail retention, the definition and legal status of e-mail, state, federal and foreign government laws associated with the use of e-mail as a public record and for e-commerce transactions.