How Attorneys can Benefit from Hiring a Private Investigator
In the midst of developing a case, attorneys may not realize how big of an asset a private investigator can be. Although lawyers may not think of hiring an investigator because of the legal skills and resources they are able to bring to the table, consulting with a private investigator can help lawyers find efficient and dynamic ways to secure a successful outcome in building a case. In this blog, we explain the ways an attorney can use a professional private investigator.
Locate Assets
Private investigators are highly skilled in locating hidden assets, including real estate, valuable property, and vehicles. If, as an attorney, you are trying to pinpoint the location of domestic and offshore bank accounts, you can trust that an experienced investigator can work to unearth assets that would otherwise remain hidden.
Prepare for Cross-Examination
One of the most valuable tools an attorney can be given before a courtroom testimony is a list of a witness’ or defendant’s weaknesses, background, and behavior tendencies. This can also be extremely helpful to identify what information may be used against a client, which allows attorneys to avoid being caught in tactics their opponents may use.
Reconstruction
The reconstruction of a case can provide many benefits. Perhaps the attorney needs to review extensive family history to identify potential heirs, or look into a chain of title in a case that involves a real estate matter. Whatever the problem may be, a skilled private investigator can help connect the dots between long lost documents, facts, and witnesses.
Physical Surveillance
Under no circumstances should you attempt to enlist your own surveillance tactics. You could be facing severe penalties, should you break the law, and any evidence you gather can be considered inadmissible in a court of law. By hiring a private investigator, attorneys can rest assure that the surveillance they need is being lawfully conducted.
Predict an Opponent’s Next Move
It’s a private investigator’s job to learn of an opponent’s strategy, history, and behavioral patterns. This allows them to accurately predict how they will react under pressure, which can then help attorneys strategize their litigation tactics so that they are able to step into the courtroom with their best foot forward.
Public Records Search and Retrieval
The industry of private investigating is constantly changing every day. What used to be long hours spent staking out subjects and following leads is now more focused on research and interviewing key witnesses. Investigators are inherently analytical, logical, and are skilled in successfully obtaining information – even if it means diving deep through public records for pre-trial discoveries. In cases where a firm is handling cases in which a crime has already been committed, gathering supportive evidence is considered the biggest priority.
Locating People, Witnesses, Heirs, and Victims
Securing a testimony from a key witness is a crucial element to building a successful case. In order to do so, however, witnesses must be located and tracked down. Private investigators can also help firms locate individuals who need to be served legal papers. Whether it’s from a defense or prosecution stand point, a private investigator can assist firms in locating the necessary individuals.
Enforce Judgments
A judgment is only as good as its ability to be enforced. Any efforts to hide or misrepresent valuable assets can be uncovered by a private investigator. A common tactic for individuals to implement is to transfer assets to other family members and friends – by doing so, the asset is no longer under their name, and thus hidden.
Connect the Dots
It’s very common for an attorney to ask themselves, “What is it that I’m missing or not seeing?” Connecting those final dots in a case can often be the most difficult obstacle to overcome. In negotiations, investigators can help attorneys understand who it actually is sitting on the other side of the table. Having the upper hand in negotiations is an invaluable skill to possess in the legal industry.
At Capital Protection & Investigations, our Florida private investigator has experience as a former NYPD officer and is skilled in handling a wide range of cases with the utmost discretion. Michael Frassetti provides investigative services in litigation support, missing persons, criminal investigations, asset searches, and more.
Get answers today. Call Capital Protection & Investigations at (941) 219-4421 to request a free confidential consultation.