System and method for storage, display and review of electronic mail and attachments

A computer-readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to manage email messages by performing the steps of:

• (a) identifying a root email message sent by a first party to a second party;
• (b) assigning a tracking identifier to the root email message;
• (c) linking the tracking identifier and the root email message;
• (d) identifying first branch email messages branching from the root email message, wherein each of the first branch email messages comprises an email message having one or more elements in common with the root email message;
• (e) storing the root email message and elements of any first branch email message not previously stored;
• (f) assigning to each first branch email message a same first branch identifier
• (g) assigning to each first branch email message a unique serial identifier identifying the location of each email message in the first branch;
• (h) linking each first branch email message to the corresponding tracking identifier of the root email message, the first branch identifier and the unique serial identifier;
• and
• (i) repeating steps (d)-(h) for email messages branching from the root email message along branches other than the first branch.

A system for managing and displaying email messages, the system comprising;

• a first element for identifying a root email message sent by a first party to a second party;
• a second element for assigning a tracking identifier to the root email message;
• a third element for linking the tracking identifier and the root email message;
• a fourth element for identifying first branch email messages branching from the root email message, wherein each of the first branch email messages comprises an email message having one or more elements in common with the root email message;
• storing the root email message and elements of any first branch email message not previously stored;
• a fifth element for assigning to each first branch email message a same first branch identifier;
• a sixth element for assigning to each first branch email message a unique serial identifier identifying the location of each email message in the first branch;
• a seventh element for linking each first branch email message to the corresponding tracking identifier of the root email message, the first branch identifier and the unique serial identifier;
• and
• an eighth element for displaying the root email message and elements of any branch email message that were not displayed as elements of a previously-displayed email message.