Private Investigation Guide

What is a Private Investigator (PI)?

What do PI's really do? Would you ever need one?

What does a private investigator do? How do I know when to hire one?

Will he be able to help me?

These questions don't come up often, but they do.

A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil and criminal cases.

Private investigators run a thriving business. Private investigators draw business from all manners of activities, ranging from spousal infidelity to maid indiscretion.

Type of work private investigators perform

Private investigators execute a wide variety of work, including (but not limited to):

1. Maid surveillance;

2. Employee movement surveillance – (in particular, key personnel);

3. Spousal surveillance (to investigate possible adultery);

4. Children surveillance;

5. Finding missing persons or property;

6. Family member gambling-related movements;

7. Trademark or copyright infringement corporate matters; as well as

8. General investigation to obtain evidence to be used in civil or criminal matters.

Private investigators must have a keen eye, excellent observation skills, and an analytical mind. Often referred to as private detectives, these professionals use a number of surveillance and investigative techniques to gather accurate information on the subject or situation in question.

Private investigators are licensed to practice in the state in which they work, and may either work full time as employees or be contracted to work with private detective firms, police departments, private businesses and organizations, as well as individual clients.