Law firms use private investigators to gather the information needed to build a client’s case. A law firm will often hire a private investigator to assist with civil litigation, family law, accident reconstruction, and criminal defense. A well-trained, professional private investigator is one of the most valuable tools in gathering evidence for any legal case.
Do Law Firms Use Private Investigators?
A private investigator should be hired immediately for any serious legal matter. Witnesses can forget significant dates and locations, physical evidence can become degraded or destroyed, and crime scene locations can change over time. The sooner a private investigator can be involved in collecting evidence the greater chance of identifying and preserving key elements to help build a solid case.
The investigator can use their field expertise to identify the relevant facts while the attorneys can reserve their valuable time for researching legal issues and building the structure of the case.
Using a Private Investigator for a Criminal Case
Criminal defense attorneys will usually hire a criminal investigator to assist with building a solid defense case for felonies and serious misdemeanors. Field work is time consuming and requires a certain level of expertise. Attorneys are much too expensive to be used for doing leg work that can easily be accomplished by a private investigator at a fraction of the cost.
A professional criminal defense investigator will know how to apply rules of evidence, statutory law and case law, and will be skilled at analyzing all the discovery materials provided by the prosecution. While the state must provide everything they’ve gathered to build a criminal prosecution, evidence may still exist that was either not discovered by the police or was ignored as irrelevant to the case. A private investigator can identify new evidence by reviewing police reports, revising the crime scene, and interviewing the state’s witnesses.
Can Private Investigators Testify in Court?
A private investigator can be called to court to testify as to all the information gathered during his or her investigation. A professional investigator should be well practiced in legally collecting and preserving evidence, in addition to properly recording and documenting witness statements. An investigator can be a important asset during a trial because their status as a professional will likely carry greater credibility in the minds of the jury.
Other Ways Law Firms Use Private Investigators:
Here are few of the most common reasons a law firm will employ a private investigator:
- Locating People
- Locating Things
- Reviewing Electronic Evidence
- Monitoring of Intellectual Property
- Reconstructing the History
- Preparing for Cross Examination
- Supporting a Claim
- Investigating the Adversary
- Investigating the Other Party
Are Private Investigators Worth It?
A licensed private investigator will have the necessary training and experience to do the job correctly. This doesn’t mean the results will be guaranteed, but a good investigator will make every effort to uncover the truth and provide answers to your questions.
You may not have the time or experience to gather the information you need. You may not know where to look for certain information, or you’re work schedule might be such that you rarely have time to get specific court documents. Private investigation involves a great deal of physical activity, something you may not have the energy to do after dealing with your own daily obligations.
Don’t make price your only option. Like just about everything in life, you get what you pay for. And if you go for the least expensive, you’re more likely to spend more because you’ll spend more often. The same can be said for investigative services. One of the clearest indicators of poor quality is the willingness of a firm to beat any competitor’s price.
Law firms use private investigators for many other services including background checks, uncovering hidden assets, and even researching legal documents at the courthouse.
H7 Investigative Services conducts private investigations in Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley, and throughout the greater Los Angeles area.
If you want to find out how our agency can help with your case, click through to our consultation request page or call us at (661)454-7513.