Law firms frequently use private investigators to gather information on their cases. Many will even have a full-time private detective on staff. Private investigators working in this capacity usually handle background checks, locate witnesses, and do the research needed to provide documentation and evidence in a case. All this work helps an attorney to build a solid civil or criminal case.
Here are the top 7 ways a private detective can help a law firm:
Gather information
While PIs don’t have access to private banking or medical records, they’re experts in leveraging publicly available information to shore up a case. They might trace and identify assets in a fraud case, or use physical records or online databases to determine the whereabouts or history of a person of interest. Importantly, they know to do so in a way that ensures that any information gathered is admissible in court.
Serve papers
Serving court papers to individual defendants requires tracking them down. This can be time consuming and challenging – and not a good use of an attorney’s billable hours. PIs are experts in finding people who don’t want to be found, and are frequently engaged as process servers for this reason.
Undertake surveillance
Private Investigators and surveillance go hand in hand. PIs often monitor the activity of individuals named in a case to determine their movements and activity. This information can be used to gauge character in a divorce case, or to provide evidence of fraud in an insurance case. The results of the surveillance can be used by a law firm to determine next steps or to strengthen their case.
Background checks
PIs can undertake background checks not just on persons of interest in a case, but also on prospective clients of the law firm. They can review criminal records, financial information, driving records, state licenses and military and education histories to build a dossier of the person in question. This information can help a law firm exercise good judgment in deciding whether to take on a case.
Witness depositions
Depositions are formal statements made by witnesses for use in pre-trial discovery or in court. Private Investigators are frequently engaged to track down witnesses to elicit and record a deposition. Depositions can be critical in building a case, so finding and interviewing these individuals is invaluable.
Expert testimony
Private Investigators are frequently called upon as expert witnesses. Expert witnesses are critical assets during pre-trial and can also be called upon to testify during a hearing. As law enforcement experts, PIs can help support or refute legal arguments arising during a case.
Case Reconstruction
A Private Investigator can reconstruct a crime, helping an attorney to find strengths and weaknesses in the case that they’re building. They can also gather information to build a fuller picture of the crime, for example by identifying relationships between persons of interest.
Using Private Investigators to do the leg work of a case saves attorneys valuable time and money. By delegating research and investigation to an expert, law firms can instead focus their efforts on their clients – and their cases.
Source: Verify Investigations