Judge: Palin's private e-mail use legal.

• Position: E-MAIL - Sarah Palin - Brief article

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A Judge has ruled the Alaska governor s office can use private e-mail accounts to conduct state business, in response to a lawsuit filed against former Gov. Sarah Palin by an Anchorage resident.

Palin sometimes used her private e-mail account to conduct state business, but Superior Court Judge Jack W. Smith said there is nothing in Alaska state law that prohibits the action.

Andree McLeod, who filed the lawsuit and argued the practice of using private e-mails does not allow citizens the right to view public records, said she was "stunned" by the decision.

But, according to the Associated Press (AP), lawyers for the state argued McLeod assumed the state's open records laws go further than they do, and that it is up to Alaskan lawmakers to change the law, if they choose to do so.

In fact, a bill introduced in the Alaska House earlier this year would require public officials to conduct state business via an e-mail system operated and maintained by the state, the AP reported.

Agreeing with the state, Smith said public records are those preserved for their informational...