People, Places, and Things
Investigating thousands of civil cases over the past twenty-five years for attorneys, I find one common thread seems to run through the heart of all litigation; People, Places and Things. I find these three simple words describe what is necessary to build and develop a successful case.
PEOPLE – defendants, plaintiffs, agents for service, witnesses, custodian of records, experts, doctors, police officers, judges, attorneys, you name it! There are a lot of various people that need to be found, interviewed, deposed or contacted who are involved in litigation. Many times MIA has been called upon to locate a witness to an accident, an event, or a conversation. People make up an important part in developing a case, and, often you can lose track of the people involved in your case.
PLACES – accident location, employers, courthouses, residences, record archives, office buildings, corporate headquarters, address history of defendants and plaintiffs, and the list is endless. It is necessary to discover various locations, or Places. You might know the records you are trying to obtain exist, but you just don’t know where. The exact location of a plaintiff or defendant on a specific date is crucial to proving an aspect of the case. Finding the corporate office for purposes of serving legal documents on a defunct entity is required. Needless to say, there are a lot of Places that need to be determined in litigation.
THINGS – tangible evidence, exemplar parts and products, documents, manuals, declarations, witness statements, photographs, assets, reports, studies, prior lawsuits, and more. Most Things that are needed in litigation have the potential to become evidence. Plaintiffs and defendants have the burden of developing everything necessary to proving or defending their position in litigation. Every case has evidence; Things that need to be searched to adequately prosecute and defend a case.
In almost all litigation, defendants, plaintiffs and their attorneys call upon investigators to assist them with locating, gathering or developing People, Places and Things. In order to adequately develop key pieces of information as an investigator, one must become knowledgeable with the underline litigation and understand the case. Carter Spohn is a professional and has a reputation for understanding the litigation process and gathering of facts. His experience and out-of-the-box thinking has allowed him to develop key pieces of information that has played an important role in the litigation.
We are always available to meet and consult on a case at any stage of the litigation to see if we can assist and contribute, whether it be a simple locate search for a witness, finding assets to satisfy a judgment, or a full investigation to determine preliminary facts of an event or accident.
