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Before hiring an investigator, ask what you will be able to read, view and share when the task is complete. Depending on the assignment, that may include a written account of observations, dated photographs or video, retrieved records and a timeline. The agreement should describe the deliverable and who will receive it.
Each assignment needs a different mix of records and reporting. A residence check may produce a short observation timeline; a longer parenting-schedule investigation may need several dated entries and media references. Agree on that format before work begins.
| Deliverable | What It Usually Includes | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Status updates | Short progress communication about what was done, what changed, and whether scope or timing needs adjustment. | Lets you or your attorney decide whether to approve more work, change direction or stop. |
| Field or surveillance reports | The date, time and location of the work, what the investigator observed, and the order in which events occurred. | Allows a later reader to understand the observation without depending on someone’s memory. |
| Media Files and Reference Log | Relevant photos, video or screenshots with dates, source information and references connecting them to the report. | Raw files without source notes or sequence are much harder to use responsibly. |
| Chronology or issue summary | A dated summary of the events or discrepancies relevant to the question you asked us to investigate. | Helps counsel find the event and supporting material when reviewing the issue or preparing for a hearing. |
| Final Reports and Supporting Files | The agreed reports and supporting files, with references showing where each finding came from and any outstanding requested records. | Gives you a record you can return to after the active investigation ends. |
A reader should be able to follow an entry back to its source. An observation identifies when and where it occurred; a retrieved record identifies its source; a media reference points to the relevant image or recording.
The report should say whether the investigator saw an event, a witness described it, or the available facts suggest a possible explanation. That distinction lets you assess how much each statement actually establishes.
If the assignment concerns missed exchanges, the report should help you find the scheduled dates, observed events and related messages. A large volume of unrelated information makes that review harder.
Tell us if counsel needs a chronology, records organized by issue or references to particular media. Planning that organization in advance helps the reviewer trace a statement to its support.
A report records the findings of the assignment, including facts that may not support your concern. Your attorney assesses their legal use, and the court decides what weight to give them.
A photograph may show who was present but not explain what happened before or after. The accompanying entry supplies the time, place and observation context so the image is not left to speak beyond what it shows.
Ask whether the report answers the agreed question and makes its sources easy to find. Length alone tells you little about how well that has been done.
No. Agree on updates for the particular assignment. A short records task and several days of observation may need different update schedules, especially when counsel is coordinating the work.
Yes, with our report time billed separately at $150 per hour. Ordinary delivery is by 9 p.m. Pacific on the next business day after the task actually ends, including return travel. Completion after midnight uses the new calendar date; weekends and the listed federal-holiday periods are excluded. Additional report time requires approval and a revised delivery date. Faster delivery costs $300 per report plus report time only when requested and accepted; our own early finish does not trigger the fee. We notify you of priority delays and updated timing. Specialist reports have separately agreed fees and deadlines.
When photos or video are part of the assignment, confirm which files will be delivered and how they will be identified in the report. Dates, source notes and sequence help explain what the material shows; applicable disclosure restrictions still govern delivery.
An investigator can prepare a factual declaration about their own work when appropriate. Your personal declaration should reflect what you know, and your attorney should guide legal drafting and filing decisions. Discuss any declaration needed from the investigator when agreeing on the report.
No. Some assignments involve reports for individual tasks, updates as work proceeds and later delivery of requested records when they arrive. Agree on how those pieces will be organized and delivered so you know what remains outstanding.
Tell us who will review the findings, the relevant hearing date and the question the report needs to address. We can plan the written report and supporting files with those needs in mind before work starts.
