Divorce is not something that you wish to experience in the first place. When you are on the verge of separating from your spouse, it is almost like stepping into something unknown. When two individuals decide to part ways, after creating a world of their own, the separation is never easy to handle. Besides, there are several other factors that must be taken into account. In the majority of divorce cases, one party is always at fault. But heading into a divorce, you will always look for facts. Once you have made up your mind to separate, there is no looking back. However, courts in Oklahoma will ask for evidence to make an informed decision. This is when you give a call to licensed private investigators, seeking help to collect the evidence you are looking for.
Since you are filing for divorce, it doesn’t mean you can gather evidence through any means possible. You must understand that the evidence that you wish to present must be collected legally using fair means.
The judges involved will never heed your emotional appeal or feelings alone. They will ask for proper evidence that is documented and verified. So, in this post, we will help you learn more about what a licensed investigator can collect on your behalf. The sole objective is to help you understand the process and what you can expect from a private investigator.
What is the Role of Photographic and Video Evidence?
When it comes to your divorce-related investigation, a lot of emphasis is given to photographic and video evidence. Your investigator will start by documenting the activities of your spouse discreetly from public locations. For your information, making observations from any public space doesn’t mean breaking the law. However, things become somewhat complicated when the same investigators enter private property to take photos or videos, and this is considered illegal.
Nevertheless, the private investigator you’ve hired will use the public areas to take photos of your spouse meeting someone outside your marriage. They may also take videos of your spouse visiting places during hours when they claim to be in the office or working. Each of the images taken gets time-stamped and properly labeled with the location where it was taken.
It is this documentation that will give your family attorney the resources to build a strong case. Photographic or video evidence carries a lot more weight in court than that of your emotional appeal and accusations.
The Importance of Financial Records and Asset-Related Documentation
Of course, in a divorce proceeding, there will be financial disputes. There is a good reason to suspect that your ex-partner is trying to hide income sources and might be moving assets prior to the settlement. But how can you be so sure?
Well, this is precisely where your investigator can help you out. They will make it a point to trace financial transactions and any recent financial activity. Don’t worry, they will do so by following all the legal protocols. Upon reviewing the public filings, business registrations, and real estate transactions, they can tie the connection to that of your spouse.
This sort of investigation often ends up unraveling accounts that you were never aware of. The same investigation will also help you reveal if your spouse has any secondary income source. Once all the details are put together, it will surely change the dynamics of your case.
If you have some suspicion and want to verify the same, feel free to check how asset tracing works through Sneaky Cat’s Services.
What is the Purpose of Background Verification and Reviewing Public Records?
While filing for divorce, there are several elements that you must take into account. In fact, you will have to scrutinize every single detail to protect your sole interest. Here, too, public records end up providing more crucial details than what you had anticipated. Details from court filings, property deeds, and business-related licenses are easily available, and most trained investigators can easily access them on your behalf.
Focusing on your case, the investigator you’ve hired will make sure to pull all such records that show if your spouse owns any property that you are not aware of. Should the need arise, they will also check details related to business registrations that can be tied to your spouse’s name.
All this research takes place in the background, and there is no reason to connect with your spouse. In fact, the entire investigation hinges on the publicly available records that are available in databases throughout the county and state systems.
Is There Any Place for Witness Statements and Interviews?
In a sensitive divorce case like yours, every piece of evidence plays a crucial role. There will be times when some of the evidence comes from individuals who have witnessed the actual issues firsthand. On that front, neighbors, co-workers, as well as mutual acquaintances may have some information related to your spouse’s behavior.
Your investigator will try to reach out to those witnesses who are willing to speak. As a part of the investigation, they will ask questions about what they had observed. Of course, your investigator will never coerce anyone into talking, but at the end of the day, many witnesses cooperate on their own once they understand the gravity of the situation.
We carefully document all of these details, then group the evidence with the remaining findings from the investigation.
When you pair a witness account with credible photographic and video evidence, it does help to create a strong picture.
What is the Basis of Income and Employment Verification?
Naturally, when there is a divorce involved, the issue of dividing the assets can be somewhat complicated. As such, it becomes necessary to understand your spouse’s actual income for property division and support calculation. Herein, an investigator plays a vital role by trying to verify employment status using legal research methods. They can also verify the information by reaching out to the employers.
The actual investigation ends up confirming whether your spouse’s income matches what they’re actually earning. All of this will go a long way to reveal if your spouse is indeed having a second job or freelance income. Verifying the employment details is necessary in circumstances wherein you suspect that your spouse is deliberately underreporting income before filing for divorce.
How GPS and Location Tracking Helps Your Divorce Case?
While filing for a divorce, you may have some doubts about whether tracking your spouse will have any implication on the outcome or not. In fact, Oklahoma law will allow you to GPS track your spouse only on vehicles that you own or co- own with your spouse.
As such, the investigator will place a tracker on the jointly owned vehicle to track the travel patterns and the locations visited. However, your investigator must conduct the tracking in full compliance with legal standards so that your attorney can submit the evidence in court. If you track a vehicle that you do not own, you cross into illegal territory. So, make sure that you are well within your limits when it comes to tracking the movement of your ex-partner.
Can You Submit Recorded Conversations As Evidence?
The answer would be yes. In Oklahoma, the court follows a one-party consent rule, especially when it comes to recording conversations. It means you can move ahead by legally recording conversations that you’re part of. Your investigator will advise you on how to apply this specific rule to your situation. However, the law prohibits you from recording any conversation if you are not a participant.
This distinction surely matters, especially when you are considering recording conversations secretly on your own. If you break the law, you put your case in serious jeopardy and risk entangling yourself in severe legal troubles.
What about the Evidence Supporting Custody-Related Concerns?
Along with your divorce proceedings, have you put some thought into the custody disputes? Well, this is where you may need different evidence to back up your claim. Considering your spouse’s recent behavior, you are bound to have concerns related to your children. You never know if your child is safe with your spouse.
This is when an investigator will observe behavioral patterns in public spaces to document how your spouse handles the kids. They will also verify the claims related to your spouse’s new partner’s background and whether the person is indeed spending time around your kids.
By putting together all this evidence, it will eventually help your attorney present your real concerns to the court. Because we thoroughly document the evidence, the judge gets clear insights and a fresh perspective on your case.
In What Way is the Evidence Documented for Court-Related Proceedings?
If you collect evidence to support your divorce case, make sure you use it appropriately. To benefit your case, our licensed private investigators ensure they document all evidence in the correct format and structure.
The evidence presented will include time-stamped photographs, precise and accurate locations, and clear information as to who handled the evidence throughout. Because we organize our reports chronologically, your attorney can review the evidence with relative ease. Properly organized documents strengthen your overall proceeding. Instead of trying to gather the evidence on your own, hiring a professional investigator in Oklahoma makes more sense. Remember, the courts will extensively review how you collected the evidence and whether you sourced it through legal means.
Why is it Crucial to Work with a Licensed Investigator for your Divorce?
You are filing for a divorce, and as such, it means you are looking at an uncertain future financially. This might prompt you to save some money by trying to gather evidence on your own. However, this decision may backfire in a manner that will end up costing you more.
The licensed investigator you are hiring has a good understanding of Oklahoma’s legal boundaries. So, what they do is follow all the legal protocols when it comes to collecting evidence through surveillance and proper documentation. It is this knowledge that eventually protects your interests and case, without having to lose any legal standing.
Moreover, Oklahoma’s regulatory body for investigators requires extensive background checks and training. Additionally, CLEET must license the investigator you hire. Oklahoma establishes this requirement to protect clients like you from bad actors who resort to unlawful investigation tactics.
How Does the Evidence Collected Help to Strengthen Your Divorce Proceeding?
As mentioned earlier in the post, divorce is never easy for either of you. When it comes to documented evidence, it will change the overall nature of the negotiations, even before the case reaches a courtroom. Your spouse’s attorney will get a glimpse of what you can prove, and this eventually speeds up the discussions for settlement.
The judges involved will make sure to review all the documented evidence to get a better perspective. Once the judge goes through all the documentation, they will be in a better position to make the right call related to custody, support, or division of assets.
This is one reason why it is crucial to gather proper evidence early in your case. With evidence collected properly right at the start, it will give your attorney a distinct advantage throughout the entire divorce.
How to Start Your Investigation
At Sneaky Cat Private Investigation, we have good knowledge and understanding of how to gather evidence for divorce-related investigations. We make sure that every investigation is done by staying well within the legal parameters. The main idea is to present verifiable documents that your attorney can make use of.
When you team up with us, you will receive regular updates throughout the course of the proceeding. Because we maintain complete transparency, you will easily track the real progress we make on your investigation.
For more details, you can explore our full range of investigation services here. You can also read our blogs for better insights on topics that affect individuals filing for divorce.
