In Texas, there are thousands of people in prison awaiting trial or an appeal for a criminal offense they did not commit.  If you gave the majority of those people a choice between hiring a “Great Lawyer with No Private Investigator” or a “Good Lawyer with a Great Private Investigator”; most would hire the “Great Lawyer with NO Private Investigator”.  Most criminal defendants think that lawyer can also be their investigator.   A great criminal defense lawyer knows about 85% of what happens at trial is a direct result of the work done outside of the courtroom before the trial begins.  Don’t let your attorney or anyone else tell you that you don’t need your own investigator.

Being a former Police Officer and FBI Agent, I know there are always two sides to the truth. During my 20 year career, I have seen many people get prison and probation sentences because there was no one willing to investigate their side of the truth.  I have seen lawyers all over the state work out plea bargains, probation and prison sentences for clients when they were not always necessary.  

Here are some facts to consider when you are facing criminal charges:  

Approximately 70% of all criminal defendants do not have a private investigator working for them. 

In every case, the District Attorney has the police investigating for them.  Do you think the police will investigate on your behalf?

Hiring your own private investigator gives you a better chance of charges being reduced or dismissed.

Even if you have a court appointed attorney, you may have the right to request that the court appoint a private investigator to investigate your side of the truth.

If your case goes to trial, your defense lawyer will be at a big disadvantage going against  the District Attorney if you do not have a private investigator working for you.

Having an experienced private investigator working with a good lawyer will increase the chances of your case being dismissed or the charges getting reduced.

It may seem like doing criminal background checks is something that only large employers do.  Some people think that if they are hiring a nanny or maid, you do not need to bother doing a doing criminal background check.

Or do you? 

Some maid agencies do background checks on their employees, but some private citizens  prefer to save money by hiring private investigators rather than going through an agency.  When you let a person into your home, you are exposing your possessions, your financial records, and even your children to that person. Oftentimes all you know about this person is what was revealed on a resume during an interview.  This information could easily be false.  

Hiring a Nanny on the Internet? 

There was a

Could This Happen to You? 

Most people would say they would never leave a stranger with their child, but many of these same people leave their wallets, check books, and credit cards lying around. Be aware that there are a number of agencies who offer to run inexpensive background checks, but most only offer a quick internet search.  Once you decide to protect yourself with a background check, be sure to use a licensed private investigator. Get the peace of mind that goes with hiring a professional check.

Trying to find people who do not want to be found is not easy. The internet makes it easier to find someone, but it is rare that the average citizen will be successfully finding someone who does not want to be found.  Your best chance for success is hiring a professional who specializes in finding people who don’t want to be found. 

What is Skip Tracing? 

In the private investigation industry, a “Skip Trace Investigation” is the fact of finding a missing person. It refers to “tracing” a person who has “skipped” town.  In a broader sense, skip tracing is commonly used to find anyone who has defaulted on a debt. The client could be a business owed the debt or a collection agency, but the skip tracer can also be hired by individuals seeking personal debts. Skip tracing is used by law enforcement to find suspects or witnesses in criminal actions and by attorneys in civil actions.  Private Citizens hire skip tracers for reasons such as locating a parent defaulting on child support or tracking down the owner of a company. 

Let the Pros Handle It 

Skip tracing is an art and it takes many years of experience to get it right. An experienced skip tracer can find just about anyone.  Avoid all those online “Find Anyone Anywhere” services.  These companies simply scan public databases to present information you could get yourself.

The only advantage is you get your result quicker.  For the best skip tracing you need a private investigator.  Not only do you get years of experience in locating missing persons, but you get access to information you wouldn’t be able to get otherwise.  As a private investigator, we have access to many databases of information that is not opened to the public or an online service.  Skip tracing fees can vary between $125- $500 depending on the difficulty of the job.  

Being a private investigator is not like what you see on TV, but it can be a rewarding career. It is a profession that is somewhat recession-resistant during economic downturns.  There may be a decline in some areas of investigations, but others such as asset searches or fraud investigations may see an increase. Infidelity investigations remain one of the leading sources of work for private investigators. Evidence of infidelity by a private  investigator carries more weight in divorce proceedings.

What Training Is Needed? 

Some private investigators have college degrees, but the majority of private investigators earned their experience working at the local police and sheriff departments.  As a new private investigator you will work under the guidance of an experienced investigator.   As the new investigator gains more experience they are given greater responsibility. In

What is the Career Outlook for the Private Investigative Industry? 

The US Department of Labor predicts substantial growth in the profession over the next ten years due to a number of factors.  There will also be a substantial growth in the number of people going into this field.  As a result, competition for jobs will be high and new applicants will need to stand out by demonstrating exceptional skill or previous experience. 

Being a former Police Officer and FBI Agent, I know there are always two sides to every story. During my years as a private investigator, I have seen our investigators catch several men and women cheating on Valentine’s Day.  We all know Valentine’s Day as a special day to exchange flowers, and candy with those we love.  As a result, we always see a dramatic increase in infidelity cases near Valentine’s Day.   

Unlike the TV show, our investigations do not dramatize infidelity in a relationship. Our investigations are focused on the truth however good or bad it maybe.  When clients call our office they always say they would never forgive their spouse for infidelity.  Oftentimes our infidelity investigations provide clients with the peace of mind they need to rebuild there relationship.  One of the worst fears for anyone in a relationship is the possibility of infidelity from a mate.  

How can you tell when your mate maybe unfaithful? 

TIPS: Listed below are common warning signs that could indicate a problem in any relationship.    Excessive Phone Calls and Computer Time

Having a Need for Privacy

Having a Renewed Attention to Appearance

Working a Lot of Late Hours  

Changes in the Relationship

No longer wearing a wedding ring

Excessive Text messages Saying “It is all your imagination” 

Again, it is important to emphasize that suspicion is not proof.  Any of these examples could be completely normal behavior. This is why the added information provided from an infidelity investigation specialist could confirm your suspicions. 

Infidelity Does not Mean Divorce.

 I have seen first hand that our infidelity investigations can bring a situation into the open potentially allowing couples to deal with the issues in the relationship. Sometimes our investigations reveal fundamental problems in the relationship that can not be overcome. Other times, counseling can help repair the relationship. I don’t view our infidelity investigations as the end of a relationship. I believe that if you keep ignoring the problems in a relationship the problems will only get worse.  If infidelity is confirmed and confronted, you may be able to save your relationship and have many happy years together. 

People hire private investigators for reasons such as background investigations, domestic investigations, missing person investigations, and asset searches.  However, most people don’t know how to find a private investigator.  So what should you look for when hiring private investigators? 

Start with an internet search.  Be sure to use the city in your search (i.e. “

When you have a short list of private investigators, make some phone calls about your case and interview the investigator. Ask the investigator about their experience as it relates directly to your situation.  This will give you a feel for the investigator and how well you will be able to work together.  Due to the confidential nature of private investigative work you will not have access to a list of professional references.  That is why it is very important to listen to the investigator’s plan for your case.  You should have confidence this person has a clearly defined strategy for your investigation. An investigator without experience will waste your time and money. An experienced private investigator will arrive at a solution quicker which will save you time and money.

Experienced private investigators are not cheap, but hiring a private investigator should be considered an investment not an expense.

Welcome to our new blog.  Be sure to check back regularly for the latest information about The Investigative Firm and the services we offer.  If this is your first visit to our site, we look forward to providing any and all of your investigative needs, including employment background checks, skip tracing, asset searches, and infidelity investigations.  With offices in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin, you can be sure that our team of experienced private investigators will help you find the answers!  Be sure to check out all of our private investigation services.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.