Hiring a private investigator may be a key element in a civil claim. If you’re involved in a civil action and the other party is being uncooperative, the testimony of the other party may not be entirely honest or they may claim to have lost crucial documents or other evidence. As is common in many cases, there are many times that depositions will lead to one side disputing the other’s story – these situations happen more often than you might think. A professional investigator may be able to dig up evidence and prove which person is telling the truth, or at least provide sufficient proof to refute the other person’s claim.
In a civil case, the plaintiff must prove his or her claim by a preponderance of the evidence. This means that there is more than a 50 percent chance that the allegations are true. The plaintiff must also prove that the defendant is liable for the claims. Evidence for these claims comes from several sources and may be discovered before trial in depositions, interrogatories, and witness affidavits. It is often prudent to find additional evidence, even if it does not come directly from your defendant. Relying on information solely from these sources can be limiting because of the inherent biases that may be presented by each side.
Private investigators can help uncover evidence that is not disclosed by the defendant in a civil case. Investigations can put together evidence that is used in civil cases. Defendants often claim to have lost or misplaced important documents, and private investigators can help locate and recover those documents. Private investigators can also help with interrogatories or depositions as well as evaluating the truthfulness of the information they have uncovered. Private investigators are skilled at finding people and resources that you need during your case, services, and databases that are not available publicly or are difficult to access. Information found by a private investigator can be used as valuable evidence for your case or leads on potential witnesses.
If you are not already represented by an attorney, you should find one before hiring a private investigator. Private investigators may only perform such actions as are legal in their state; they are not licensed to give legal advice. The benefits of hiring a private investigator will be determined by the quality of your investigator. Make sure that you are working with a licensed private investigation agency and that their areas of expertise align with the needs of your civil suit.
Are you interested in hiring a private investigator to support your civil case? Active Intel Investigations specializes in asset search, data extraction, and fraud detection. Get in touch to order your investigation or set up a consultation with a licensed private investigator to discuss your case.