Civil Investigations
Lawsuits generally speaking fall into one of two categories: criminal or civil. Sometimes the initial action may be heard in a criminal court of law and a civil suit follows; or the evidence brought forth is circumstantial and deemed to not be enough to support criminal proceedings then a civil suit may be filed. When to file is always a bit of a conundrum, but across the board there are time limits so ask your investigator to help ascertain timing. Make certain your investigations team is up to speed with your attorney prior to setting things in motion. Your Case Team needs lead time to consult and develop a strategy prior to civil proceedings being filed.
Divorce is a common civil action. When divorce is not an amiable marital dissolution an investigative team who is skilled in surveillance, computer analytics, forensic accounting, text message interpretation and social media messaging can bring a wealth of evidence to the case. Do not get caught up in the obvious: once you file a proceeding against your spouse you can be charged with stalking. Do not risk it; reach out and let the professionals handle the due diligence.
Divorce is not always about affair investigations with detectives surveilling late into the night and obtaining lurid photographs to present during mediation. Some of the best evidence is hiding in plain sight. In a recent case our client was able to provide access to the family computer where incriminating data was extracted and revealed the clients spouse was funneling money from a joint retirement account to an off shore account.
Do not trust what you see on television or on social media. Digital technology has evolved to the point that videos can be digitally enhanced, super-imposed and manipulated to change what your perception of reality. Your Investigative Team can bring in the expert who can ascertain whether or not what you are viewing is real or not.
In addition to divorce, some additional types of civil investigations that we handle are:
Negligence
Personal injury
Child custody, child abuse and child welfare
Missing persons
Medical malpractice
Wrongful death
One of the most common civil cases Hunter Investigations handles is child support recovery. Payment of court ordered child support is mandatory. Failure to do so is not a criminal offense, however in many States this offense is punishable by imprisonment, depending on the amount that is in arrears. Our investigative team can help with location of missing parent, verification of employment as well as other aspects of child support recovery.
Remember, do not talk with family, friends or strangers about your case or pending lawsuit; and above all DO NOT post on social media at all when you are involved in a criminal or civil proceeding. Everyone wants to ask, and if they do, avoid the conversation. Your Investigative Team will thank you later.
The goal is success for your day in court. Odds are that you need professional assistance to make your goal a reality.