Supporters applaud the idea, saying it allows attorneys to respond in accelerated ''Internet time'' to new issues of law and technology.
Critics say it's unworkable because e-mail can be falsified or forged so easily.
And unlike with human delivery, it can be nearly impossible to verify that an e-mail subpoena was served successfully. Cyber Patrol'' software, which blocks children from Internet pornography. These experts wrote a utility, called ''cphack,'' that discloses a parent's password, thus allowing access to questionable Web sites. It also reveals the product's entire list of more than 100,000 Internet sites deemed unsuitable for children. The filtering software's manufacturer, Microsystems Inc., alleged that the pair violated U.S. copyright law when they reverse-engineered Cyber Patrol to analyze it.