IN Private Investigator flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Indiana PI licensing agency
- The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, through its Private Investigator Licensing Board, issues and regulates private investigator licenses and firm registrations under IC 25-30 and 876 IAC 2.
- Statutory authority for Indiana PIs
- IC 25-30 is the Indiana statute governing private investigator firms and investigators, including licensure, employee registration, discipline, and penalties for unlicensed practice.
- Administrative rules citation
- 876 IAC 2 contains the Private Investigator Licensing Board's rules on qualifications, examinations, renewal, continuing education, and professional conduct standards for licensees.
- Minimum age to be licensed
- An applicant for an Indiana private investigator license must be at least 18 years of age, of good moral character, and free of disqualifying criminal convictions.
- Disqualifying criminal conviction
- A felony conviction, or a conviction involving dishonesty or false statement, generally disqualifies an applicant from Indiana private investigator licensure absent Board relief.
- Firm license requirement
- A business providing investigative services for hire must hold an Indiana private investigator firm license and register its employed investigators with the Board.
- Unlicensed practice consequence
- Investigating for hire without an Indiana license violates IC 25-30 and subjects the violator to civil penalties, cease-and-desist orders, and possible criminal prosecution.
- License renewal cycle
- Indiana private investigator licenses expire on a biennial cycle; practicing after expiration without renewal is prohibited and subjects the licensee to disciplinary action.
- Continuing education obligation
- Licensees must complete continuing education hours each renewal cycle, retain proof of completion, and produce those records when requested by the Board.
- Change-of-information duty
- Licensees must notify the Board of changes to name, address, or employment status within the period specified by rule, keeping licensing records current.
- Board disciplinary authority
- The Board may deny, suspend, revoke, or probate a license and impose civil penalties for fraud, incompetence, criminal convictions, or unprofessional conduct.
- Administrative hearing framework
- Indiana administrative proceedings against licensees follow IC 4-21.5, the Administrative Orders and Procedures Act, which governs notice, hearings, and judicial review.
- Cease-and-desist authority
- The Board may issue cease-and-desist orders and seek injunctive relief to stop unlicensed persons from providing investigative services for hire in Indiana.
- Employment with licensed firm
- A licensed investigator may not perform investigative services for an unlicensed firm; employment must be with a properly licensed Indiana private investigator firm.
- Law enforcement impersonation
- Falsely representing oneself as a law enforcement officer or using a badge or credential implying official authority is prohibited and may constitute a crime.
- Pretexting prohibition
- Obtaining information through fraud, deceit, or false identity for an improper purpose, including pretexting for financial records, is prohibited professional conduct.
- Client confidentiality duty
- Licensees may not disclose confidential client information or case details without client consent or legal compulsion; records must be safeguarded.
- Conflict of interest disclosure
- An investigator must avoid conflicts of interest and disclose any personal or financial relationship that could impair objectivity in a client matter.
- Harassment and privacy limits
- Surveillance and investigation may not involve trespass, stalking, harassment under IC 35-46-8-1, or interception of communications barred by wiretap law.
- Truthful advertising rule
- Advertising must be truthful and may not guarantee investigative results or claim affiliation with any government agency or law enforcement body.
- Duty to report violations
- Licensees must report known violations of Indiana licensing law by other licensees to the Board and cooperate fully with Board investigations.
- Chain of custody
- A documented record of every evidence item showing who collected it, when, where, and each subsequent transfer, preserving admissibility and integrity.
- Scene documentation sequence
- Photograph and record the scene before moving any item, noting date, time, location, and environmental conditions to preserve original context.
- Digital evidence preservation
- Capture hash values and forensic images of digital media, work from write-protected copies, and never alter the original storage device.
- Surveillance log contents
- Each entry records date, time, location, subject description, activity observed, and investigator identity; contemporaneous notes are preferred over later reconstruction.
- Interview documentation
- Record interviews with consent where required and document the interviewee's identity, statements, and any refusal to consent to recording.
- Indiana public records act
- IC 5-14-3, the Access to Public Records Act, provides a lawful method to request government documents, subject to statutory exemptions.
- Driver privacy protection
- Motor vehicle record searches must comply with the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act and applicable Indiana restrictions on personal information use.
- Evidence storage controls
- Evidence must be stored securely with access limited to authorized personnel, supported by an inventory and disposition record for each item.
- Written engagement agreement
- A signed agreement should specify scope, fees, expenses, and deliverables before work begins, defining the client relationship and limiting misunderstandings.
- Client trust account rule
- Client funds must be held in a separate trust account and never commingled with business operating funds; disbursements must be documented.
- Record retention duty
- Case files, surveillance logs, and evidence records must be retained for the period required by Board rule and statute and produced to the Board on request.