Private detectives and lawyers: an effective duality at the service of clients
"It is incumbent on each party to prove, in accordance with the law, the facts necessary for the success of its claim" - article 9 of the New Code of Civil Procedure. To gather evidence to be presented by the lawyer in court, the represented party can call on the services of a private detective, who is competent in this field. As our agency works closely and regularly with many law firms, we explain in this article how these two complementary professions can work in synergy to best serve our clients' interests.
Roles and skills of private investigators and lawyers
Lawyers are specialists in law and justice, whose mission is to represent and defend individuals, companies and local authorities before the courts, as well as to assist and advise them on legal matters during or prior to proceedings. With a mastery of all the intricacies of the law, his aim is to develop a comprehensive legal strategy that meets the specific needs of the people he represents.
Like lawyers, private investigators work in the interests of their clients (individuals, companies and local authorities), adapting their research and investigation strategy to their needs and the legal framework of the assignment. The aim of the private investigator is to gather intelligence, information and, ultimately, evidence, particularly in the context of legal proceedings or to help their client remove any doubt. The profession is legally defined in the French Internal Security Code (Livre VI, Titre II, L621-1), and private detectives are accredited by the Conseil National des Activités privées de Sécurité (CNAPS), under the supervision of the French Ministry of the Interior.
Lawyers and private investigators have similar objectives and ethical rules: they operate in strict confidentiality, respecting professional secrecy and privacy, and the purpose of their activity is to defend their clients' interests before the law.
Private detective and lawyer: complementary professions
To build their legal strategy and pleadings, lawyers need evidence that can be heard and accepted by judges. However, lawyers' cases often come up against a lack of evidence, whether in family, civil, commercial or employment matters.
This is where the two professions come together: the private investigator, with the power ofInvestigation, provides a final report of his investigations, which can be produced in court, demonstrating the existence of a legal act or fact. The evidence thus produced is used by the lawyer in building his case, and enables him to argue his case before the courts on the basis of solid and complete elements. In other words, the private investigator provides the material that the lawyer shapes.
The synergy between the two activities goes even further, and the collaboration also works in the other direction: the lawyer can inform and advise the private investigator about the legal framework of his Investigation and the latest decisions and case law in the field. In this way, both professionals have the same level of information and can support each other in their respective missions.
A synergy of professions to the customer's advantage
Collaboration between the lawyer and the private investigator enables them to work as efficiently as possible and, by extension, optimizes the probability of success of the operation: it is in the client's interest that this alliance of choice takes place. The private detective's in-depth investigation greatly facilitates the lawyer's defense, which would have little chance of success without the evidence he provides. It is therefore in the best interests of the represented party to call on the services of a private detective in addition to their lawyer.
In addition to increasing the likelihood of success in court, the collaboration of a lawyer and a private investigator speeds up the process of resolving a case. This time-saving directly benefits the client, who sees the period of tension, uncertainty and discomfort experienced throughout the proceedings come to an end more quickly.
Conclusion: an important complementarity for the judicial system
Over and above the client's particular interests, the professional synergy between lawyers and private investigators, which is increasingly essential in legal disputes, is very important for the overall functioning of the legal system. While lawyers are essential and central players in legal activities, private investigators must also be considered as key players in the very effectiveness of the rights of the defense.
In addition to increasing the likelihood of success in court, the collaboration of a lawyer and a private investigator speeds up the process of resolving a case. This time-saving directly benefits the client, who sees the period of tension, uncertainty and discomfort experienced throughout the proceedings come to an end more quickly.
