Dear Geist,

When someone writes and sends a letter, who has copyright—the letter writer, or the person it was written and sent to?

—Lauralie, Calgary AB

Dear Lauralie,

First, a disclaimer: We are not lawyers and nothing you read in Advice for the Lit-Lorn is to be interpreted as legal advice. If you have any legal concerns, please consult a professional.

In Canada, a letter writer automatically has copyright, as with any work that is original and exists in a fixed form, including email correspondence and other electronically transmitted content. The letter writer might grant the recipient, or someone else, permission to use part or all of the text, but all rights still rest with the writer unless they’re sold or given away. In all of these situations, the writer of the letter retains moral rights to the work, unless moral rights are specifically waived.

—The Editors