You suspect your spouse of cheating and have considered hiring a private investigator. You want hard evidence, such as photographs, videotape, and names and addresses – information to help you with the difficult choices that may be ahead.
Surveillance is the most basic, fundamental approach to detecting and proving infidelity; however, it is not the only tool in an investigator’s kit. Analyzing cell phone, bank, and credit card records is often very informative.
Other questions to consider: Are there hidden bank accounts or credit cards? Is there a second home or apartment? Is he/she secretly building a nest egg in preparation for divorce? If there is in fact a significant other, is he/she single, married, separated, or divorced? Answers to these questions could certainly alter the course of either reconciliation or divorce.
Subsequent to divorce, private investigators are employed to determine issues such as whether the ex is discreetly cohabitating while the client is paying alimony. The question of whether the children are in the care and custody of the best provider is another consideration. Many parents want background information on an ex’s new boyfriend or girlfriend – an unknown adult to whom the children are now exposed. Documenting the new lifestyle of an ex may also be relevant in custody issues.
Consulting an investigator to discuss these issues and your options is always sound advice. The good news is that many investigators offer a free initial consultation.
Like other professions, there are many tools and tricks of the private investigation trade that are unknown or unavailable to others. It is paramount during this time of emotional distress to focus on the task at hand: obtaining irrefutable evidence so you can make informed decisions about the rest of your life.
