“History is a Greek word which means, literally, just investigation.” Arnold Toynbee As private investigators, oftentimes we begin our investigation long after the incident in question. Some investigations commence days after, others years. What’s common among all investigations is that we begin our task by understanding what took place by identifying people, places, and evidence. […]
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Social Media Evidence, Not For The Novice
“Privacy on the Internet? That’s an oxymoron.” – Catherine Butler With an estimated 45% of the world’s population possessing at least one social media account, the value of social media as an evidence source cannot be overstated. From personal injury suits to criminal trials, it has become increasingly rare for social media evidence to not […]
Calls for Service Records
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.” Buddha By and large, we as professional investigators understand that cases that are energetically pursued more often than not give birth to critical evidence. We pursue leads, obviously: witness interviews, court records, database research, discovery review, etc. And while it’s important […]
Innocence Project Investigations
“Indigence is frequently associated with injustice and the quality of justice suffers as a result.” Arizona Justice Project Imagine waking up in a prison cell day in and day out, decade after decade, for a crime you didn’t commit. You’ve lost your career, your sense of self-worth, and perhaps even your family. Do […]
Pre-Charge Investigations
“We are in the business of helping good people overcome bad situations” David Reddell It’s been said many times that the best defense is a good offense. A person who becomes the subject of a criminal investigation should hire a private investigator and an attorney without delay. For a potential defendant, time is of the […]
Why Neighborhood Canvasses Are Critical
“In the grace of truth, re-examine all that you have been told.” Lailah Gifty Akita Private investigators and attorneys often begin their investigation of an incident many months – or even years – after a case has been brought forth. As a result, many believe that investigations are limited to information contained within the […]
Investigative Timelines
“In the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared minds.” Louis Pasteur Investigative case review and analysis are the heart and soul of a criminal defense investigation. Any seasoned private investigator worth his or her salt knows this – and, further, that the case review is where holes in the opposition’s investigation are discovered, […]
FBI Fingerprint Background Checks 101
In my line of work as a private investigator, I’m often asked to do “FBI nationwide background checks” for private clients, to assure them that their persons of interest do not have any skeletons in their closets. Sadly, this is when I explain that a nationwide background check does not exist, meaning that a […]
Private Investigators and the Criminal Justice Act
A little-known fact is that private investigators are available at no cost to indigent defendants charged with federal crimes. Private investigators can be a very important part of the defense. An estimated 85% of what occurs at a criminal trial directly results from work done outside of the courtroom. A defendant’s chance of being acquitted […]