JANUARY 2017
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Our continuing legal education (CLE) program, approved by the State Bar of Texas, equips attorneys with ways ensure your investigation adds value to your case.  Call us now at 713/781-9040 to arrange an appointment for a convenient and complimentary presentation at your offices, and get a head start on your CLE requirements.
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Speak Into the Mic : Considerations in recording interviews.
 
Venison Stew Recipe : Delectable wintertime warmth.




 
 
In this month's VantagePoints, we begin 2017 with articles that discuss areas that should certainly be of concern to those who hire investigators - capability and insurance coverage.
 
It might come as a shock to many to learn the only requirements to become licensed as a private investigator in Texas are: no serious criminal history, mentally competency, and no dishonorable military discharge. There is no required experience in the field of investigations. Consequently, it is critical to ensure that a licensee has the requisite skills to conduct a particular investigation.
 
Texas law requires that investigation companies carry liability insurance; however, much like automobile requirements, the minimum legal coverage amount would not be adequate to protect against a serious incident. Ensuring that your investigator carries an adequate level of insurance can save you from a significant loss.
 
The capable and seasoned professionals of ResultQuest® have more than a century of combined experience in a wide variety of investigative fields, and carry liability insurance far in excess of the minimum required levels. When experience and protection matter, call us at 713/781-9040.  
 
Thank you for your comments about VantagePoints. We strive to cover areas of interest and welcome your suggestions for relevant topics at [email protected] . We also hope you will recommend our newsletter to your colleagues.
 
J.R.Skaggs
Founder, Owner, and Manager

Filling the Bill: Is the investigator capable, or merely licensed?
 
Most states require that persons conducting investigations in the private sector be licensed by a governing body. In Texas, the Private Security Bureau of the Texas Department of Public Safety licenses private investigators.
 
Essentially, the requirements for licensure as a Texas Private Investigator are:
  1. At least 18 years of age.
  2. No history of indictment or conviction for felonies, or misdemeanors involving moral turpitude.
  3. Mentally competent.
  4. No dishonorable military discharge.
  5. Not required to register as a sex offender.
Most people are surprised to learn that there is no specific experience or education required to become licensed as an investigator in Texas. As long as the applicant satisfies the above criteria, the decision regarding whom to license is left totally to the discretion and judgment of the manager of the investigations company that employs the person. For all you know, an individual licensee could be a rookie with no meaningful investigative background.
 
When an attorney hires an investigations company, it is essential that the individual conducting the investigation has a demonstrated capability in the specific area pertaining to the case. For instance, in a surveillance operation being conducted in support of high-stakes litigation, assigning someone with little or no background in shadowing people could produce results that compromise your standing and damage your reputation. Likewise, tasking a person... Read More 

Cover Me: Is the investigator's liability insurance coverage sufficient?

 

In today's litigious environment, if an investigation goes awry or becomes discovered by the target of a probe, there is a good chance that legal action will follow. Investigators with inadequate insurance coverage could find themselves - and their client - facing the potential of substantial financial loss.
 
Texas law mandates that an investigations company must carry liability insurance with minimum limits of $100,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage, and $50,000 per occurrence for personal injury, with a minimum total aggregate amount of $200,000 for all occurrences.
 
These minimum requirements could prove woefully inadequate in the event that something done in the course of an investigation leads to litigation. Therefore, before employing the services of an investigations company, an attorney would be well advised to obtain a Certificate of Liability Insurance to determine if the stated coverage is sufficient for the proposed project.
 
Should the policy prove to be inadequate, and the investigator is unwilling to rectify the situation, the attorney might ... Read More
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