This chapter briefly explains the reasons that Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) and other forms of trans-border access to electronic data are vital and becoming increasingly more so for law enforcement in this age of globalized evidence. It then presents the goals of key stakeholders in MLAT reform: national governments other than the United States; the US government, both for law enforcement and other goals; technology companies, such as email and social network providers; and civil society, seeking goals including privacy, free speech, and democracy. This chapter is part of a broader research and law reform project on law enforcement access to electronic evidence held in other nations. Our ultimate goal is to propose reforms (or meaningful alternatives) to the Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) system. Any such reforms, however, will have to be built on an accurate understanding of the incentives and perspectives of the major stakeholders.

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