Private Investigator Ethics

There are things a Private Investigator is allowed to do that citizens are not allowed to do. However, a PI cannot hold himself out to be something he is not, such as a police officer, judge, or parole officer. In a recent case, a Sacramento private investigator was seeking information in a child custody case and used old pieces of identification from his previous job as a parole officer to obtain such information. He reportedly covered the portion of his identification that stated it was no longer valid to trick his informants. He now faces misdemeanor charges for impersonating a peace officer.

Read the full story at the Sacramento Bee

How to Hire a P.I.

Ask friends and family members if they've ever hired a private investigator. Ask only people you trust to keep your inquiry to themselves, especially if the matter is sensitive.

Search online for private investigators in your area. Search for investigators who handle the specific type of investigation you'd like done, such as missing persons searches, crime scene investigation, bounty hunting or surveillance work.

Visit the website of the private investigators you're considering, and contact them directly. Find out what credentials they have, such as education, experience and clientele. Obtain testimonials and references.

Ask the investigator detailed questions about his background, why he became a private investigator and what types of cases he handles. A good private investigator will answer these questions willingly and will most likely be happy to provide you with details about his training, background, qualifications and cases. Remember that they can only share limited information about their clients' cases.

Source: eHow

Reasons to Use a Private Investigator

• A suspected cheating wife or husband
• A suspected cheating partner
• Marriage disputes or settlements
• Custody/child maintenance issues
• Worker's compensation queries
• Concerns for a child, teenager or loved one
• Locating missing persons
• Harassment and stalking issues
• Suspected drug activities or other illegal activities
• Corporate or Government requirements
• Situations where private investigation and surveillance of the nominated target will lead to the desired objective results

Source: ASAC Group

Social Media and Investigation

Your social footprint helps investigators know your patterns of behavior, closest confidants, places and persons of interest, and gives away little details about you that you may not have noticed you were exposing. A private investigator may look at the photos you post to see how active you are, and if that is counter to what you are claiming against injuries you sustained through workman's compensation.  

Utilizing Twitter and Facebook as sources of information is known as "open source intelligence," meaning no one owns the rights to the information as protected, if the information is unsolicited and unprotected by the user.

Source: Reading Eagle

Why Use a PI as a Process Server?

After all, the Sheriff’s Department will do it for, oh, probably $20. When they get to it. But they have an impossible job with an impossible workload. And process usually needs to be served FAST. So it usually pays to hire a professional process server private investigator. Who has some backup resources if something goes wrong. Or if legal issues arise.

In short, serving process is not as simple as walking up to a guy in a suit, asking his name, handing him papers, and saying “You’ve been served.” In California, for example, there are various ways short of physical delivery to serve someone with a summons. But a subpoena has to be served personally to the person’s face, or a judge might not enforce it.

Your legal papers need to be served by someone who knows where the lines are, what the rules are, and when it’s permissible to brush by the secretary to get to the man in his own office.

Who engages professional process server private investigators and process server private detectives?

• Law firms looking for rapid, efficient, economical process service of new lawsuits
• Trial attorneys who need to subpoena witnesses
• Copy services specializing in obtaining medical and business records under procedures set by the California Evidence Code, and Code of Civil Procedure
• Plaintiffs filing their own lawsuits “in pro per” – i.e., representing themselves
• Anybody filing a small claims case, where no attorneys are allowed.

A good process server private investigator knows how to find someone who is evading service. He or she can also decide in the field whether to shift gears to a second method, like substituted service to a responsible adult at a business location. And he or she knows when he doesn’t have to hand the papers to the subject, when he can simply get a name acknowledgment and drop the papers at the target’s feet.

Process service seems simple, but oftentimes it isn’t so simple. So when you need to get a subpoena, or a summons and complaint, or a small claims complaint served WITHOUT FAIL, you need to hire a professional process server private investigator. If you want to get process served fast, efficiently, economically, and in a manner that will satisfy the Court the law has been observed, our professional process service private investigators and professional process service private detectives are ready 24/7 to serve those papers.

Source: Asset Searches Now

How to Get a PI

eHow's Missy Jess tells us how to get a private investigator:

Individuals and companies hire private investigators for many reasons: for child custody cases, to catch insurance fraud, to locate a missing person, to perform a thorough employment background check or to catch a cheating spouse. Once hired, the private investigator uses various methods, such as taking video surveillance and interviewing your subject's associates, to gather information for your case. The information gathered by a private investigator can be used for your own personal curiosity or to build a court case in your favor.

Instructions

1. Find a private investigator in your area by searching online or looking through a phone book. If you have a lawyer, ask her if she has any recommendations.
2. Ask if the investigator is licensed and insured. Most states require private investigators to hold a license in order to run their practice. In order to obtain a license, the private investigator typically must be insured, bonded and pass a background check, but the actual requirements vary by state.
3. Inquire about the investigator's educational background and work history. Many private investigators are former or retired law enforcement officers, lawyers or insurance agents. Their expertise can help with your investigation if it aligns with your case's purpose.
4. Discuss your case with the private investigator. During this consultation, the private investigator will tell you his fees and his initial plans on executing the investigation. This could involve conducting surveillance, searching databases and taking video. You also may be asked to share details on your subject: his work schedule, frequently visited places, information on his associates and other details.
5. Get a contract and read it over in detail. The contract should explain the scope of all services you'll receive and how often the investigator updates you on your case's progress.
6. Sign the contract to authorize the services to begin the investigation.

Tips & Warnings

• A private investigator does not have the same authority as a law enforcement officer. Therefore, he cannot obtain search warrants or make arrests. Make sure your private investigator is working within your local laws.
• Understand your investigation may not go the way you expected. If the private investigator performs surveillance on your subject and he turns up nothing, you'll still be expected to pay for his services.

Pros and Cons of Using a PI

Think your spouse is cheating? The pros and cons of utilizing a private investigator, courtesy of Truth About Deception:

What are the benefits of hiring a Private Investigator?
Private investigators are licensed by the state to gather information and engage in surveillance. Private investigators understand what is permitted under state law. If the potential for legal proceedings exists (e.g., divorce, child custody, alimony, etc.), hiring a private investigator can help minimize your risk. Many people have obtained useful information about a spouse on their own, but were unable to use the information because of how it was obtained. Not only does hiring a private investigator help minimize the risk of information being thrown out during legal procedures, but in most cases PIs are allowed to testify on your behalf. And if negative information about your spouse is going to come out, it is usually beneficial to have a third party present the information - it will seem less biased and more credible.

Private Investigators are also better at collecting information because of their training, experience, and their lack of emotional involvement. Many people who try to catch a cheating spouse on their own, have a difficult time knowing what to look for or they become too upset while the process unfolds. We have heard from many people who have wasted months of their time trying to figure out if their spouse is cheating, but were unable to do so because they lack the investigative skills and tools which are needed. And people also tend to become too emotionally volatile when investigating their own spouse. People have a difficult time NOT confronting their spouse before they discover the full extent of the betrayal that occurred. Professional investigators simply have the added advantage of knowing how to investigate a spouse in a more objective manner.

What are the disadvantages of hiring a Private Investigator?
A major consideration when hiring a PI is the cost involved. Depending on where you live, hiring a PI can easily run into the thousands of dollars. And while there are always less expensive options available, given potential consequences involved, the additional expense may be worth every penny.