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by aroch 4468 days ago
Well, yes you can...one branch of a company could legally compel (and would if there are separate privacy policies) another to give up information as part of an investigation.
1 comments

Even if the branches aren't distinct legal entities? IANAL, but according to Microsoft Deputy Counsel John Frank, "Courts do not issue orders authorizing someone to search themselves" [1].

[1] http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/03/arrest-of-secret-...

You're not asking for a search warrant, you're asking to be allowed ('compelled') to look at a specific business record that groupA made but isn't accessible to groupB without permission of record_creater, UserX, or court order. Basically you're asking the court to say its OK to go around privacy or contractual obligations in order to investigate something.