Lawyer: One is justified in accessing information in computer files without securing authorization from the computer' s owner only if the computer is typically used in the operation of a business
If, in addition, there exist reasonable grounds for believing that such a computer contains data usable as evidence in a legal proceeding against the computer' s owner, then accessing the data in those computer files without the owner' s authorization is justified
A police officer accessed, without Natalie's permission, files on the computer that Natalie owned and used exclusively in the operation of her small business. Since the police officer's search of the files on Natalie's computer produced no evidence usable in any legal proceeding against Natalie, the police officer's action was clearly not justified.