Protect yourself from e-mail lawsuits

It used to be pretty simple. Wake up, brush your teeth, talk to your spouse and kids, go work, come back, watch TV, straighten up the house or play with the kids, and go to bed. The next day: repeat.

Now, of course, the lines are blurred. We're often emailing our kindergarten's teacher with an apology for not bringing this week's snack and then rushing off to a meeting with the boss. Or we'll be at home in bed, watching late night TV and answering email -- from a client at work.

All of this means that things get complicated when employers and their employees don't get along, since when lawsuits arrive, email leaves one of those paper trails that can help bolster or destroy someone's case.