A Massachusetts appeals court has held that Amazon.com was bound by an exchange of emails that agreed to the essential points of a dispute settlement with Basis Technology Corp. The decision is summarized on the law.com Web site.

"Thomas J. Gallitano, a lawyer for Basis, said a statement in the e-mail exchange confirming that six different points in the e-mails contained the essential business terms of the settlement agreement was pivotal to the court's decision. 'Had that language not been in there, the case may have turned out differently,' said Gallitano of Boston's Conn Kavanaugh Rosenthal Peisch & Ford."

Basis Tech. Corp. v. Amazon.com, Inc., No. 06-P-1048 (Mass. App. Jan. 7, 2008).