Private Investigator case studies
Private Investigator · Put your knowledge to work in context.
A private investigator license is a state-issued credential that authorizes a person to conduct investigations for hire - surveilling subjects, locating witnesses, interviewing claimants, gathering evidence for civil and criminal matters, and preparing reports for attorneys, insurers, employers, and private clients. Licensing exists to separate paid investigative work from ordinary information-gathering by the public, and it typically carries background, experience, and bonding requirements that are reviewed separately from the written test. The Private Investigator case studies are 5 cases and about 4,227 words.
1The Alley, the Loading Dock, and the Tarp: Consent Isn't a Blanket
A licensed investigator is retained by MallCo, owner of a five-unit strip mall, to document whether tenant QuickLube is running a repair shop from a unit whose lease permits retail sales only. Over two evenings the investigator photographs 40 images of the rear service bay from an alley behind the mall, stands on a loading dock to get an angle, and lifts a corner of a tarp covering a pickup to photograph its VIN plate.
859 words, about 4 min2Three Days in an Unlocked Drawer: A Chain-of-Custody Gap
A paralegal delivers a USB flash drive holding 300 screenshots of text messages, and the client's personal iPhone. The client says the screenshots were 'on the family computer,' a desktop both spouses used.
823 words, about 4 min3The No-Contact Letter and the Threatened Clerk
An insurance defense firm retains an investigator in a slip-and-fall claim. The claimant has counsel, who has sent the firm a letter stating: 'Do not contact my client.' The adjuster asks the investigator to 'drop by' the claimant's home anyway, noting that the investigator is not a lawyer.
865 words, about 4 min4Twelve Hours, a Jointly Titled Truck, and a Drone
A workers' compensation carrier retains an investigator to document a claimant's activity level before a hearing in 30 days. The claimant has been seen mowing a large lawn and carrying heavy bags.
830 words, about 4 min5The Client's Terms: Success Fee, Bank Pretext, and No Paper Trail
A newly licensed solo investigator signs a one-year contract with a 40-employee logistics company for 'workplace integrity services.' The contract is a two-page letter the client drafted. The client insists on four terms: (1) a success fee of 15% of any money recovered from employees accused of cargo theft; (2) a pretext call to those employees' bank to confirm direct-deposit amounts 'for comparison'; (3) no written reports, because 'we don't want anything ending up in discovery'; and (4) the client keeps all files while the investigator keeps none, with the client stating it will 'handle the license paperwork as an in-house department.' The investigator carries a 1M general liability policy.
850 words, about 4 min