An Anton Piller Order, is a civil search order. It can be compared to Section 8 of PACE, in criminal law, though it requires stronger evidence.
The name Anton Piller order comes from the case – Anton Piller KG vs Manufacturing Processes Limited [1976].
The tests required for an Anton Piller Order are:
- There is an extremely strong prima facie case against the respondent,
- The damage, potential or actual, must be very serious for the applicant
- There must be clear evidence that the respondents have in their possession incriminating documents or things and that there is a real possibility that they may destroy such material before an inter partes application can be made.