What can a person do if someone has sent emails to friends and employers saying bad things about a person?

I assume a family member is doing this because it's posted under Family Law?

Depends on whether the info is true, WHY it's being sent out, how you are FINANCIALLY harmed by the information - and in what amount, if the sender BELIEVES the info is true, if the people receiving it believe it.

Depending on how many emails were sent and some other circumstances it COULD be harassment.

I would talk to your cities police dept. It may be different according to location. It might be some sort of harassment.

This is a civil matter and the police won't get involved. Unless these e-mails include threats of violence.

Since it appears that the e-mails are not being sent to the OP, I see nothing the police would get involved in.

Anyone can sue over just about anything. The question is whether you would win. To be able to win you have to show that the statements being made are false, that the person making the statements knows they are false, in other words they are being malicious.

If you just want to get them to stop that may be enough to get a cease and desist order. If you are looking for damages, you will have to prove you have been damaged.

Do you know why this person is doing this? Do the recipients believe what is being said? Can you easily prove its false?

Note: I've moved this from family Law since it doesn't matter whether the person is a relative or not. It's not a Family Law matter