Asset Research · Tennessee Statewide
Asset Investigations That Hold Up in Tennessee Courts
Delator Group conducts asset investigations for civil litigation, judgment enforcement, divorce and due diligence across all 95 Tennessee counties. We identify real property, business interests, vehicles and income, trace transfers made to avoid exposure, and document every finding with sources so your attorney can act on it in court or at the negotiating table.
- Deep records research plus field verification
- Transfer timelines tied to legal exposure
- Investigator affidavits and testimony available
- 95Tennessee counties covered
- 75+Designated investigative specialties
- 24/7Availability for new matters
- 5.0Google rating
Quick answer
What is an asset investigation?
An asset investigation is a documented search for what a person or business owns or controls, including real estate, business interests, vehicles, watercraft and income sources. Investigators review deed, court, business and lien records, verify findings in the field, and trace transfers so attorneys can enforce judgments, negotiate settlements or assess whether a case is worth pursuing.
01How Assets Are Found
Every transfer leaves a documentary record
People who want to hide assets rarely make them vanish. They move them. A house is deeded to a sibling, a boat is titled to a new LLC, business revenue is routed through a spouse's company, or a vehicle is registered in a parent's name. Each of those moves creates a deed, a filing, a registration or a lien somewhere in the public record.
Delator's investigators know where those records live, how to read them, and how to connect them into a complete financial picture. The work is methodical: county register of deeds offices, Secretary of State business filings, UCC financing statements, court dockets and titling records, all cross-referenced and then verified on the ground.
- Real property, including investment and commercial holdings
- LLCs, partnerships and undisclosed business ownership
- Vehicles, watercraft and aircraft
- Liens, judgments and UCC filings
02Scope of Work
Six areas every asset search covers
A thorough asset search is broader than a property lookup. We organize the work into six areas so nothing obvious is missed and so your attorney can see at a glance where value sits and how reachable it is.
- Real property: deed research, LLC and trust identification, field verification
- Business interests: ownership, partnerships, UCC filings and beneficial ownership
- Vehicles and titled assets: registered vehicles, watercraft and aircraft
- Financial research: employment income and self-employment revenue from public sources
- Concealment investigation: fraudulent transfers and pre-litigation asset shifts
- Judgment support: leviable assets and garnishment targets ranked by priority
03Hidden Assets
Recognizing concealment patterns
The most valuable finding in many cases is not an asset but a transfer. When property changes hands shortly after a lawsuit is threatened, a divorce is filed or a judgment is entered, the timing tells a story. We build a transfer timeline that places each movement of property alongside the dates of legal exposure, which gives your attorney a clear picture to bring to the court.
Common patterns include quitclaim deeds to family members for little or no consideration, newly formed LLCs that suddenly hold personal property, vehicles retitled to a girlfriend or parent, and business revenue that drops just as a case begins. Tennessee law provides remedies for some voidable transfers, and your attorney can advise whether a particular transfer may be challenged.
04Family Law
Asset investigations in Tennessee divorces
In a Tennessee divorce, marital property is generally divided equitably, which means the court needs an accurate picture of what exists. When one spouse controls a business, handles the finances, or has been planning an exit, undisclosed assets are a real risk. A cash-heavy business, a sudden new LLC or a vehicle titled to a relative are all worth examining before mediation.
We work at the direction of family law attorneys to identify property, business interests and transfers that may not appear in sworn disclosures. Our findings help counsel frame discovery requests and subpoenas with precision. Our guide on hidden assets in a Tennessee divorce explains the process in more detail.
05Tennessee Law
Lawful methods, clean evidence
Private investigators in Tennessee are licensed through the Tennessee Private Investigation and Polygraph Commission under the Private Investigators Licensing and Regulatory Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 62-26-201 et seq.). A licensed investigator can research public records, analyze lawfully obtained data, and verify property and vehicles from public vantage points.
What an investigator cannot do is obtain bank records or phone records without legal process. Account balances and statements generally come through subpoena, discovery or post-judgment proceedings. Our job is to find the property and the leads, then give your attorney the specific institutions, entities and records to target so the evidence arrives through a channel that will survive challenge. Your attorney can advise on the right procedure.
06Why Delator
Enforcement-focused reporting, not academic summaries
An asset report should tell you what to do next. Ours are organized by enforcement priority, showing which assets are likely reachable, which are encumbered, and which transfers deserve a closer look. Investigator certification is included, and our investigators are available for depositions and trial testimony.
Delator operates under centralized leadership from Nashville with a chapter network across the state, so assets spread across Shelby, Davidson and Knox counties can be researched and verified at the same time. Our investigators come from military and federal law enforcement backgrounds, the work is supervised through a clear chain of command, and nothing is subcontracted to unvetted freelancers. Pricing is agreed before we begin.
Services
Asset and financial investigation specialties
- Debtor Skip TracingLocating a judgment debtor and confirming residence and employer, often the first step before enforcing against wages, property or bank accounts.Learn more
- Stolen AssetsTracing stolen or wrongfully taken property, documenting where it is and who holds it, and preparing findings for civil recovery or law enforcement.Learn more
- Stolen EquipmentRecovering construction, agricultural and commercial equipment by following resale channels, registrations and field leads across Tennessee job sites and lots.Learn more
- Stolen CarLocating stolen or unreturned vehicles through registration history, associated people and lawful field observation, with documentation for recovery.Learn more
- Investigate a Business PartnerExamining a partner's outside entities, property and transactions when you suspect diverted revenue, self-dealing or undisclosed competing interests.Learn more
- M&A Due DiligenceVerifying that a target company or seller actually owns the assets represented, and surfacing liens, litigation and related-party entanglements before closing.Learn more
- Real Estate RiskResearching ownership history, liens, disputes and parties behind a property transaction so buyers, lenders and investors know what they are taking on.Learn more
- Corporate InvestigationsWhen asset questions arise inside a company, our corporate team investigates misappropriation, fraud and vendor schemes alongside the asset trail.Learn more
How it works
How an asset investigation works
- 01
Case intake
You tell us about the subject, the legal posture and the goal, whether collecting a judgment, preparing for mediation or deciding whether to sue. We set a scope and quote the price before work begins.
- 02
Records research
Investigators search deed, court, business, UCC, lien and titling records across relevant Tennessee counties and other states as needed, identifying entities and people connected to the subject.
- 03
Field verification
Where it adds value, a licensed investigator confirms property, vehicles and business operations in person, documenting condition, occupancy and activity from lawful vantage points.
- 04
Analysis and transfer timeline
We connect the records into a financial picture, map transfers against dates of legal exposure, and rank assets by how reachable they are for enforcement or settlement.
- 05
Report and testimony
You receive a written asset report with source documentation and investigator certification. Our investigators provide affidavits and are available for depositions and trial.
Compare
Asset investigation scenarios and deliverables
| Scenario | Primary focus | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid judgment | Leviable property, employer, bank relationships | Enforcement roadmap ranked by priority |
| Divorce with suspected hidden assets | Business income, new entities, transfers to relatives | Asset inventory and transfer timeline |
| Deciding whether to sue | Overall collectability of the defendant | Pre-litigation asset summary |
| Business partner dispute | Outside entities and diverted revenue | Business interest profile with filings |
| Acquisition or investment | Ownership, liens and related-party ties | Due diligence report with source records |
| Transfer made after a lawsuit | Timing, consideration and recipients | Documented transfer analysis for counsel |
Statewide coverage
Asset searches in every Tennessee county
Property records in Tennessee are kept county by county, so a real asset search means working all 95 register of deeds offices when needed, not only the one where the subject lives. Delator researches and verifies assets across West Tennessee, including Memphis and Shelby County, Middle Tennessee from Nashville and Davidson County to Williamson, Rutherford and Sumner counties, and East Tennessee from Knoxville and Chattanooga to the Tri-Cities. Findings are prepared for chancery, circuit and general sessions courts and for federal bankruptcy and district court proceedings.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does an asset investigation cost in Tennessee?
Cost depends on how many counties, entities and asset types need to be researched and whether field verification is required. A straightforward pre-litigation check costs less than a deep concealment investigation involving multiple LLCs. Delator quotes the price before work begins so there is no open-ended retainer. See our service pricing page or request a quote for your matter.
Can a private investigator find someone's bank accounts?
A private investigator cannot legally obtain bank records or account balances without legal process such as a subpoena or post-judgment discovery. What we can often do is identify likely banking relationships through public filings, liens and business records, which gives your attorney specific institutions to target. Be cautious of anyone who promises account balances without a court order.
How do you find hidden assets in a Tennessee divorce?
We start with what is documented: deeds, business filings, vehicle and boat titles, court records and liens, then look for transfers to relatives, friends or new entities around the time the marriage began to fail. Field verification confirms whether property is being used as claimed. Findings help your family law attorney aim discovery and subpoenas. Our hidden assets in divorce guide covers this in more depth.
Can you tell if someone moved assets to avoid a judgment?
Often, yes. We build a timeline that places each deed, retitling or business formation alongside the dates of the lawsuit, judgment or demand letter. Transfers for little or no value to insiders shortly after legal exposure are a common pattern. Tennessee law provides remedies for certain voidable transfers, and your attorney can advise whether a specific transfer may be challenged.
Should I run an asset search before filing a lawsuit?
In many cases it is worth it. Winning a judgment against someone with no reachable assets can cost more than it recovers. A pre-litigation asset check shows whether the defendant owns property, operates a business or has steady income, which helps you and your attorney decide whether to sue, how to frame settlement talks, and what to protect early.
What records do asset investigators use in Tennessee?
Common sources include county register of deeds records, property assessor data, Tennessee Secretary of State business filings, UCC financing statements, state and federal court dockets, bankruptcy filings, liens and judgments, and vehicle, watercraft and aircraft registration data where lawfully available. We combine these with commercial data and field verification to build a full picture.
Can you search for assets outside Tennessee?
Yes. Subjects often hold property or entities in neighboring states or register companies in other jurisdictions. We extend the research wherever the records lead and tell you up front if that changes the scope or price.
Will the subject know we are investigating their assets?
Records research is quiet by nature, and field verification is done discreetly from lawful vantage points. The subject is generally not alerted. That matters because early warning can prompt further transfers. We plan the sequence of work with your attorney so evidence is captured before anything that might tip off the subject, such as discovery requests.
Can your asset report be used in court?
Our reports cite the source of every finding and include investigator certification, and our investigators provide affidavits and are available to testify at depositions and trial. Whether specific evidence is admitted is decided by the court, but source-documented findings with a clear chain of research are much harder to challenge.
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Delator Group Private Investigators
Find out what they really own
Tell us about the subject and your goal. We will scope the search, quote the price before we begin, and deliver a sourced asset report your attorney can take to court.