The private investigator profession is actually very different from the one that is represented on TV. Therefore, people have very misunderstood opinions when it comes to private investigator work. In general, private investigator work needs to be legal. Also, with every case they have, they need to make sure that the whole procedure has adequate paperwork, licenses, permits, and warrants.
The mentioned things are crucial because the collected evidence, details, and other obtained information will not be considered legal and valuable. Moreover, they can even lead to criminal charges for violation of the law. Therefore, the job of private investigators is very serious and they are facing a lot of challenges with every case. If you are currently considering hiring one of them, you should know first some important factors.
For what kind of service you can hire a private detective?
If some of the following things are included in the case you are facing, you should contact the private investigator.
1. Infidelity and surveillance
2. Background checks/Employment screening
3. Asset searches
4. Due diligence
5. Executive protection
6. Expert witness testimony
7. Litigation support
8. Process serving
9. Technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM)
10. Security consulting
1. You should see the private detective with the provided information
In general, there is no reason to go to the private detective if you do not hold any valuable information. You can expect that every experienced and knowledgeable detective will ask you different questions about the case and about you. Logically, they do not have a database where they can check some additional details. They only have the information that you provide. Therefore, if you gave the detective more details, he will have more materials to build the case and there is a bigger chance that the outcome will be better for you. If you go to the detective without preparing some crucial information first, you will be just wasting your time as well as the money.
Before hiring, make sure that the private detective comes with a good reputation
Hiring a private detective means that you have a strong reason to do that. Because of that, you should find the most experienced person or the agency that can help you with your problem. Before hiring one, you need to make sure that the detective has good status and reputation from the previous jobs. You want a credible and reliable person that will do the work as best as possible. Therefore, it is incredibly important to do your research first.
2. Make sure that the agency you are hiring is properly licensed
Once you select some of the potential private investigators, you should ask them for the license. The last thing you want to do is to find the agency or the person that works illegally. Logically, you do not want them to represent you and your case. However, you should know that some states do not issue the license.
3. Ask precisely about charging for the particular service
You should ask about their charging at the beginning, so you can have a clear picture of whether or not you can afford to hire them. You will make a huge problem if you do not ask this because some person or agency can take advantage of this and tell you some higher price.
4. Secure that you have a permissible purpose for the case
You need to know that the private detective or the agency can not obtain the investigation of anyone or anything if they do not have the reason to do that. They need to do that with a permissible purpose. Therefore, you need to make sure that you have some ligitation documents, signed FCRA authorization, or some other type f permissible purpose.
5. Do not assume anything on your own
You have full rights to ask anything that bothers you about the case, therefore always verify details and make sure that you are feeling comfortable with the choices that your private investigator is making. Logically, you can say that you do not want your case going in some particular direction and that you want to change the terms of the work.
6. Never require a detective to do anything illegal
It is incredibly important to know this. There is no private detective who is credible and experienced that will do something illegal. You need to take into consideration FCRA’s permissible purpose because if you do not have them from the authorization, the investigator will not conduct the following procedure of investigation.
7. Do not think about taking some litigation action by yourself
One more thing that it is important to remember is that you never should take any litigation actions on your own without consulting your legal advisor. This counts for all possible litigation types whether they are criminal, civil, or federal.
8. Do not expect a specific outcome
All people or companies that are seeking private investigation always have predicted results. They are wanting some particular outcome and they are expecting some results.
However, it is very important to remember that no one can promise you or guarantee you the expected outcome. After you contact the private investigator, he is going to make the case and report the results. Sometimes they are going to be the ones that are in your interest, but there is always that other outcome. Therefore, be prepared for different results and be open-minded.
Do not expect that your private investigator is allowed to record things or to arrest
Many people do not realize that private investigators can not record anything without consent from that party. This especially refers to the conversations and phone calls. Also, private investigators are not given the power of arrest. They can uncover details about criminal activity, however, they are not giving those details to law enforcement. That is the job of the criminal lawyer.
Do You Need An Investigator?
Finding the right private investigator can be a challenging task. You want to find the person or the agency that is standing out of the competition, that is experienced, reliable, and that works in the manner of following all rules and regulations. Also, you do not want to find the person who is prepared to do illegal activities just so you can hire him. When choosing a private detective, doing your homework can save you a lot of time and money.
Also, it will provide you the highest chance of getting the most wanted outcome. If you are interested in hiring something that has a lot of experience, knowledge, and reputation in this field, contact Haywood Hunt and start with a free consultation.
