Attorney Services - Family Law

Child support, alimony, custody, and distribution of marital assets: these are the issues at the heart of divorce litigation. A thorough and impartial investigation can resolve many of the acrimonious charges brought by an embittered spouse. From forensic accounting to surveillance, the staff at Complete Legal Investigations, Inc. can help you find the answers to the challenging questions your client faces.

We can help you with investigations for the following issues:

• Asset Investigations
• Alimony/Support Enforcement/Modifications
• Criminal Background Checks
• Elderly Abuse/Exploitation
• Domestic Violence
• Child Abuse

 

Asset investigations: Does your client have an accurate picture of the spouse’s assets? Are there unaccounted-for expenses in a business? Offshore accounts accessed through a debit card locally? Real estate purchased with a partner, friend, girlfriend or boyfriend? These can be identified by careful investigation and research, utilizing our field investigators, fraud examiners, forensic accountants, and computer analysts. The spouse’s lifestyle and spending habits can be established by surveillance and interviews; communications and online activities can be verified by computer analysis, where even deleted files can be restored; and personal and corporate assets can be located and tracked.

Benefits:

• Accurate valuations by objective “third party” investigation
• Video and documentary evidence for introduction in deposition and hearings
• Detailed analysis of complex financial transactions by certified fraud examiners and forensic accountants

Case study (Asset investigations): Client was a partner in a thriving import business, and her husband was gradually turning over operations to his son, the client’s step-son. Investigation disclosed that the father and son, in anticipation of the divorce, began transferring the assets of the import business to several other companies they set up in the immediate vicinity. Research verified the establishment of the new corporations. A forensic accountant conducted a visit to the company and began tracking the inventory and expenses. The client had obtained a copy of the company’s sales routes. Field investigators reconstructed the sales routes to develop an accurate inventory of vendor accounts and income derived from the various routes. Surveillance also disclosed the transfer of equipment and inventory to a nearby location. With this data, the accountant and the attorney were able to challenge the husband’s claim of loss of income from the business and the fraudulent transfer of assets to the new corporations, in an effort to deny the client her rightful share of the profits.

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Alimony/support enforcement/modifications: An ex-spouse claims a “significant change in circumstances,” and now he can’t make the support he’s been ordered to pay. A “deadbeat dad” ignores or denies his responsibilities, making excuses for his willful underemployment. Surveillance can confirm his daily activities; bank and credit card records can be analyzed to determine spending patterns.

Benefits:

• Relieve financial stress from worried moms
• Hold dads accountable to judicial orders
• Allow children to stay in private school, aftercare programs and sports activities

Case study  (Support modification): The client’s ex-husband was claiming loss of income after the sale of his business and had reduced the client’s alimony payments. Research disclosed that the ex-husband had purchased a luxury import vehicle for cash and placed the title into the name of his girlfriend, a topless dancer. Surveillance uncovered the ex-husband withdrawing cash from a previously undisclosed bank account, supported by an offshore account with wire transfers.

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Criminal Background Checks: The ex-wife is dating again, and your client is hearing disturbing things from his children; late night fights, strangers at the house, mommy is crying more often. What does your client know about the new man in the picture? It is not unusual for a smooth talking scoundrel to take advantage of a single mom; in fact, it is almost a proverb. In-depth background checks can uncover a sordid history, or questionable character. This information can be used to persuade a change in circumstances, if not custody.

Benefits:

• Peace of mind through knowledge
• Protect children from abuse or exploitation
• Uncover potential or actual criminal activities or history
• Send strong signal of accountability

Case study (Criminal background check): The client was petitioning for adoption of an infant child, and the maternal uncle was opposing the petition. A routine gathering of incident reports and court records disclosed that the uncle had a history of drug arrests and petit theft, which the child services agency had failed to find. Based on the information provided, the parental rights were terminated and the client’s adoption petition was granted.

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Elderly abuse/exploitation:  As more of us become responsible for our aging parents while we continue our careers, we rely more frequently on outsiders to care for our loved ones. Who are these caretakers? Sometimes, predators can bilk thousands of dollars in cash or “gifts” from a sympathetic or slightly senile patient. If your client is concerned that a parent is being taken advantage of, a background check needs to be conducted. Interviews of associates and former patients and research and analysis of the caretaker’s employment history can help determine if there might be reason for concern.

Benefits:

• Uncover potential criminal activity or exploitation
• Prevent abuse or neglect
• Protect a parent’s hard-earned assets and a future inheritance
• Maintain peace of mind

Case study (Elderly exploitation): A client was concerned that her father’s caretaker was using her influence to deplete his assets. Research disclosed that the caretaker had recently purchased an import car for cash. The father defended his “loans” to the caretaker, citing her unfortunate circumstances, until a recorded quit claim deed was discovered with his forged signature, deeding his home to the caretaker. Additional background investigation determined that the caretaker had been charged in another state with organized scheme to defraud. She was fired, and a complaint was filed with the local police department.

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Domestic violence:  Your client may be the victim of a violent partner and trapped in an untenable situation. Careful documentation of injuries sustained can assist the court in determining appropriate relief and protection. Witnesses, including family members or neighbors, may be able to confirm the allegations or prior incidents of abuse. Incident reports from local law enforcement agencies can document a pattern of abuse.

Benefits:

• Quick action may save your client’s life
• Ensure impartiality with third party investigationindependently of law enforcement
• Gather relevant documentation for presentation at emergency hearing

Case study (Domestic violence): The client was accused by his wife of domestic violence. He had a cell phone camera with video capabilities which had captured the incident, as well as prior confrontations. While the legality of recording the prior confrontations was questionable, the incident for which he was being charged was recorded in full view of the wife, who subsequently grabbed the phone and ran off with it, recording her threats to call the police and report him for domestic violence. Responding police officers returned the phone to the client. A forensic retrieval of the video clip was secured to a CD Rom for presentation to the defense attorney. No charges were filed after discussions with the prosecutor.

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Child abuse:  The safety of your client’s children from an angry or erratic spouse is an emergency priority. Verifying allegations of abuse must be completed quickly, carefully, and thoroughly. Our investigators can assist with an assessment of the circumstances to determine the validity of the claim. False allegations by embittered spouses are not uncommon, and a dispassionate review by trained investigators may be necessary to verify or discredit the accusation.

Benefits:

• Impartial verification of a potentially dangerous situation
• Quick action may save a child’s life
• Gather relevant documentation for an emergency hearing

Case study (Custody/child abuse): Client sued child’s mother for custody. Surveillance disclosed mother was leaving client’s daughter with a male friend. A background check included gathering incident reports from law enforcement agencies and court records. These records disclosed that a former neighbor had accused the male friend of exposing himself to the client’s minor child two years prior. A charge of lewd exposure was filed by the State Attorney’s office, but the mother failed to cooperate and the charges were subsequently dropped. Investigators located the former neighbor, now living out of state. A sworn, recorded statement was obtained from the witness, confirming his prior accusation, and presented to the client’s attorney. A custody hearing was scheduled, and the witness was flown in from out of state to testify. Custody was awarded to the client, and an order was entered prohibiting the mother from allowing the male friend to have any contact with the minor child.

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