Investigator Ethics for the PI, Consumer and Client
- 1 hour on-demand video
- 1 article
- 2 downloadable resources
- Full lifetime access
- Access on mobile and TV
- Certificate of Completion
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Try Udemy for Business- Understand the ethics of private investigations - as an investigator, consumer or client.
- There are no prerequisites. This is designed for the interested, new or veteran investigator, attorneys and consumers.
Our agency has operated for over 25 years in Colorado, an unlicensed state until 2012 (voluntary, as was our agency) and mandatory in 2015. During this time it was greatly misunderstood that ethics applied to investigators - even a District Court judge ruled that without licensure there are no private investigator ethics in Colorado. This refutes that ruling and informs the student - from consumer to attorney, and interested to veteran private investigator - that there are ethics that must be followed and apply to both investigator/consumer and investigator/attorney relationships. Ethics serve both professional and consumer protection. Only facts obtained ethically can be evidence - facts without ethics is not evidence.
- Private Investigators, Attorneys, Consumers, Students, Criminal Justice, Debt Collection, Insurance
This course is designed for any person interested in being a private investigator or hiring a private investigator - from new to veteran, attorney to consumer. It is designed to be an informative course on those ethics that are most often unknown, forgotten or misunderstood. This is also available by podcast and an included guide of all the lectures and visuals.
As the consumer or potential client of attorney and/or investigative services, it is important to understand the unique relationship that may exist between them, and how it may relate to your case.
Common ethical issues that arise include:
- Using a ruse and false identities
- Personal or other inappropriate contact with a represented opposing party
- Surreptitiously recording conversations
- Entering onto private property or other prohibited area
- Extending any contact (lawful or not) with a party into a relationship beyond the scope of the assignment.
It is well known that laws and regulations are the parameters in which persons act, personally and professionally. Unfortunately, these laws are not often known well enough.
This is an actual civil scenario, with the type of case changed and identities protected for this course. Dean testified as an expert in private investigations and investigative protocols. The acts of the defense private investigators were potentially very damaging to the plaintiff's case.
Many private investigators, and essentially most consumers, do not realize that when an attorney hires the investigator that also extends the attorney-client relationship and attorney work-product privilege to the investigator. This protects all three, and particularly the consumer.
Many private investigators, and essentially most consumers, do not realize that when a consumer is represented by an attorney, no party to the opposing side may contact them without permission. This extends to the private investigator.
- Although entrapment can only be the action of law enforcement and is criminal, all reputable professional investigator associations have an ethics clause against entrapment.
- It is generally unethical to give a leading or misleading statement as it may produce a response that would not otherwise be the normal words of the subject.
- Although an individual cannot violate another's Constitutional rights, it is generally unethical to perform any duty or action that would violate a person's Constitutional rights.
Each party to the relationship is guided by ethics, or Professional Rules of Conduct. Private Investigators are guided by both their own ethics (including any association membership ethics) and those of any attorney that retains them. As a consumer, it is important to be made aware of them.
This course is offered by live speaking engagements to private investigator associations nationwide. Although some ethics may vary by state, most are guided by the American Bar Association. If unsure about a situation in which an ethical issue applies, first check with a reliable source for any interpretation of any Rules of Professional Conduct.