System and method for electronic message status certification

A system for providing a status certification for a message in a communications network comprising:

• a messaging system including a processor operative to receive the message and assign a message identifier to said message at the messaging system, the message generated by a sender and distributed to a recipient of the message, wherein the recipient is subscribed to a messaging service provided by the messaging system;
• said processor further operative to create a first disposition identifier in response to a first disposition event, the first disposition event including at least one of a managing event and a dispatching event;
• said processor further operative to associate said first disposition identifier with said message;
• said processor further operative to receive a request for a status notification from the sender, the sender being a non-subscriber of the messaging service;
• said processor further operative to compile said message identifier and said first disposition identifier to generate a first status notification;
• and
• said processor further operative to provide said first status notification to said sender in response to said request;
• said processor further operative to create a second disposition identifier in response to a second disposition event occurring subsequent to said first disposition event, the second disposition event including at least one of a managing event and a dispatching event;
• said processor further operative to associate said second disposition identifier with said message;
• said processor further operative to compile said message identifier and said second disposition identifier to generate a second status notification;
• and
• said processor further operative to provide said second status notification to said sender.