William Christopher & Alan Sheeley examine the law regarding obtaining evidence in cases of fraud
A good card player has an educated suspicion as to what cards are being held by the other player. Similarly, a victim of fraud often has an educated suspicion that a wrong has been committed against them but has no evidence. In the civil courts it is possible to obtain evidence to prove that a wrong has been committed and, in certain circumstances, without the wrongdoer being tipped off.
The jurisdiction first established in Norwich Pharmacal Co and other v Commissioners of Customs and Excise [1973] 2 ALL ER 943 (Norwich Pharmacal order) has long sought to provide a remedy for the victim. Norwich Pharmacal orders have been adapted over the years to fit new situations and this has led to a potential overlap with pre-action disclosure, under the Civil Procedural Rules (the CPR) r 31.16. This was illustrated recently in the ongoing case of BNP Paribas v TH Global Ltd and others [2009] EWCH 37 (Ch)
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