Letters from a Private Investigator

Lawyers and Private Investigators  

In Shakespeare’s ”Henry VI,” Part II, Act IV one of the characters famously states: ”Let’s kill all the lawyers.”  This sentence is often misinterpreted. I have seen it quoted as an indication that lawyers are for example not to be trusted or only after money, or unethical or corrupt.

Shakespeare’s exact line ”The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers,” was actually said by Dick the Butcher. Dick the Butcher was a follower of the rebel Jack Cade, who thought that if he disturbed law and order, he could become king.

Seen this way Shakespeare was actually illustrating a positive view of lawyers – they instill justice in society.

In our line of work lawyers and private investigators often collaborate. Despite being proficient and trained in our respective professions, we cannot function entirely on our own. We require the assistance of others. This might include professionals within our field of specialization or individuals from other professions. Lawyers and private investigators share such a mutually beneficial relationship.

Although a lawyer has several skills, resources and techniques at his disposal, working with a resourceful private investigator can make the difference to how and how soon he or she is able to crack a case.

Listed below are a few reasons why a private investigator can be a lawyer’s best friend.

1. Interviewing witnesses –

Provided with police reports and other necessary documents, a private investigator does his best to locate all possible witnesses and thereafter interviews each one of them. A witness is not legally bound to talk to you or provide answers to your questions. Most of them detest lawyers and try to stay away from them. A Private investigator, with his persuasive manner, gets around witnesses and secures the desired information.

2. Locating witnesses –

Often prosecutors and the police tend to overlook potential witnesses because the process is tedious and time consuming. A private investigator scours the place or case for additional witnesses and thereby unearths facts previously unknown to the lawyer, prosecutor or police. A private investigator does not only help locate witnesses but also relatives and friends involved in a case for an example an heir.

3. Conducting a thread-bare analysis of recorded statements –

After recording statements by witnesses, PIs sit down to compare and contrast these statements recorded by witnesses. They analyze the recorded statements in order to judge the integrity of the witness in question. A detailed scrutiny of the recorded statements helps them catch flaws and areas for exploitation.

4. Tracing assets –

Private investigators can help in tracing lost, hidden or robbed assets on behalf of an attorney associate for his customers. Assets include locating real estate property, vehicles, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, artwork and important documents. PIs also help in locating illegal off shore and domestic bank accounts. They also monitor trademark and intellectual property goods for counterfeiting and improper diversion.

5. Reviewing crime scenes –

The facts are the meat of any case; it can make or break it. Often, lawyers observe that there are discrepancies in the reports at different levels. These differences make it difficult to proceed with the case. Instead of depending on the reports created by the officer-in-charge, a lawyer can hire a private investigator to go review the crime scene. Many PIs are trained in police procedures and can attend crime scenes to make sketches, take pictures and notes, videotaping and the likes. These details might seem minor, but they are crucial because they reveal inconsistencies.

6. Recovering electronic evidence –

In our age of computers and technology, looking up diary entries and letters to clues does not suffice. Private and confidential information is stored in password –protected files on computers. A Private investigator is trained in the skill of securing electronic documents including email correspondence as well as deleted files and messages.

Above all, by outsourcing tedious and time-consuming tasks to a qualified professional investigator, you have more time to strengthen your case from the legal angle. Investigating, interviewing and documenting might take up hours for you, but for them it’s easy. So, capitalize on their expertise and come out looking good.

Indonesia Private Investigation Agency (IPIA) and our sister agency Bali Eye Private Investigation Agency (BEPIA) are fully registered agencies offering investigation services to the private and business sectors throughout Indonesia and South East Asia.