Checklist: Writing emails and faxes
You can print this checklist as it may help you when you are writing an email or fax.
This checklist relates specifically to emails and faxes. For tips on writing skills and things to think about when writing any type of legal document, see
Checklist: Writing. If you need more help writing an email or fax, call
LawAccess NSW.
| Who are you sending the fax or email to? | If you are sending a fax, make sure you include: If you are sending an email, make sure you include: |
| Your details | If you are sending a fax or email include your: as part of the message. |
| What is the fax or email about? | If you are sending a fax, on the cover sheet you should write a brief description of the case or dispute, including, where appropriate: parties names court details including court case numbers (if you have those details) dates and locations (for example, "Car accident on 12 July 2010 at East Street, Anytown").
If you are sending an email, these details should be included in the subject line of the email. |
| Is the fax or email confidential? | If you are sending a fax, and you want it to remain confidential, you should write a section that says something like: "This fax is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify me immediately. Please do not copy it, use it for any purpose or disclose its content to any other person". If you are sending an email, and you want it to remain confidential, you should write underneath the message and your details: "This email is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify me immediately. Please do not copy it, use it for any purpose or disclose its content to any other person".
|
| Is the fax or email urgent? | If you are sending a fax and you want to mark it urgent, you can place the word "URGENT" in bold and capital letters on a prominent place on the page. If you are sending an email and you want to mark it urgent, you can place the word "URGENT" in bold and capital letters in the subject line or at the top of the message. Some email programs also allow you to mark the level of importance of an email (for example, low, medium or high).
|
| What to say in your fax or email | If you are writing to a court, an unrepresented party, a third party or a lawyer, you can write a fax or email in a similar way as you would if you were writing a letter. For more information on writing letters and some examples, see Letters. If you are sending documents by fax or email, you should: refer to what document or documents you are sending in the message count the document in the number of pages and put this on the front page of the fax, if sending the documents by fax make sure they are enclosed as an attachment, if sending them by email.
|
| Make sure it is sent | If you are sending a fax, many fax machines will produce a 'receipt' or document that shows the fax was sent and received. You should keep this for your records. If sending an email, many email progams allow you to request a 'read receipt', which tells you when the recipient has opened the message. You should keep any read receipts for your records. If you are not sure if either a fax or email has been received, you can call the recipient to confirm this.
|
| Keep a copy | |
For more information and some examples of emails and fax coversheets, see: