A supoena sent to Google asks for the entire contents of a gmail account used by the founder of AmeriDebt. The subpoena asks for not only current e-mail but also deleted e-mail:

“All documents concerning all Gmail accounts of Baker…for the period from Jan. 1, 2003, to present, including but not limited to all e-mails and messages stored in all mailboxes, folders, in-boxes, sent items and deleted items, and all links to related Web pages contained in such e-mail messages.”

I usually recommend gmail as the mail service of choice for non-technical friends. This is a prime example of why I also suggest people run their own server if they can.