Opinion ID: 1510600
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Intentional Spoliation

Text: Several jurisdictions have a cause of action for intentional spoliation of evidence, though a greater number of jurisdictions do not. John F. Medler, Jr., Spoliation Of Evidence In Civil Cases, 39 St. Louis B.J. 14, 20-21 (1993); Thomas G. Fischer, Intentional Spoliation of Evidence, Interfering with Prospective Civil Action, As Actionable, 70 A.L.R.4th 984 (1989). The first jurisdiction to recognize this tort was California, analogizing to the tort of intentional interference with prospective business advantage. Smith v. Superior Court for County of Los Angeles, 151 Cal.App.3d 491, 198 Cal.Rptr. 829, 836 (1984). Ellis relies heavily on Smith . In Smith the defendant specifically promised to retain the evidence knowing of the potential lawsuit, and then lost or destroyed the evidence. Without the missing evidence, the plaintiffs in Smith were completely foreclosed from pursuing a personal injury claim. There was no dispute in Smith that the defendants lost or destroyed the evidence. This case is not similar to Smith . Here, the trial judge specifically found no evidence that Hamid destroyed the records, finding unknowable what happened to them since Hamid claimed to mail the records but Ellis' attorney denied receipt. This case presents no basis to recognize a tort of intentional spoliation of evidence. In addition to the crime of tampering with evidence, [2] Missouri has, for over a century, enforced an evidentiary spoliation inference, omnia praesumuntur contra spoliatorem (all things are presumed against a wrongdoer). Pomeroy v. Benton, 77 Mo. 64, 86 (1882); Brian E. Howard, Spoliation of Evidence, 49 J.Mo. Bar 121 (1993). Leading proponents for a tort of intentional spoliation recognize Missouri's role in developing the spoliation doctrine in evidence law. Jamie S. Gorelick et al., Destruction of Evidence, § 1, at 7 (1989). The evidentiary spoliation doctrine applies when there is intentional destruction of evidence, indicating fraud and a desire to suppress the truth. Moore v. General Motors, 558 S.W.2d 720, 733 (Mo. App.1977). If applicable, destruction of evidence without a satisfactory explanation gives rise to an inference unfavorable to the spoliator. Garrett v. Terminal R. Ass'n of St. Louis, 259 S.W.2d 807, 812 (Mo.1953). In this case, the trial judge found no proof of such intentional destruction, fraud, or suppression, and his ruling is not an abuse of discretion.