How to Prepare for a Private Investigator Consultation

01The first call

Why preparation changes the consultation

A consultation is where an investigator decides whether your goal is achievable, which methods fit, and what the work will cost. If the facts arrive scattered, much of that time goes to reconstructing basics. If they arrive organized, the conversation can move straight to strategy, and the written scope you receive afterward will be more precise.

Preparation also helps you think clearly. Writing down what you know, and separating it from what you suspect, often shows you which question actually matters most. That clarity makes it easier to agree on a focused plan instead of paying for broad work that answers the wrong question or none at all.

02Start here

Build a simple timeline of events

Open a document and list what happened in date order. Keep each entry short: the date, the time if you know it, where it happened and what you saw or learned. Mark which entries you witnessed yourself and which you heard from someone else. Investigators weigh those differently when planning the work.

Include patterns if you have noticed them. A spouse who works late every Tuesday, an employee whose mileage claims spike on certain routes, or a witness who stopped answering after a specific date are all details that shape when and where fieldwork happens. For a surveillance case in Nashville, Memphis or Knoxville, schedule patterns are often the single most valuable input.

• Date, time and place for each event
• What you saw directly versus what you were told
• Recurring schedules or routines
• Changes in behavior and when they began

03Identifiers

Details on people, vehicles and places

For each person involved, gather what you lawfully know: full legal name, nicknames, date of birth or approximate age, current and past addresses, employer, and a recent photo. For vehicles, note the make, model, color and license plate. Small details, such as a roof rack or a dealer sticker, help an investigator confirm the right car in a busy parking lot.

List the places that matter too: home, work, a gym, a relative's house, or a business address. If you are trying to locate someone, bring the last address and phone number you have and the last date you know they were there. Our skip tracing guide explains how investigators work from those starting points.

04Paperwork

Documents, photos and court information

Collect documents you already have a lawful right to: your own texts and emails, shared financial statements you can access, court orders, insurance claim paperwork, police report numbers, or business records from your own company. Copies are fine for the first meeting. Keep originals safe, and do not alter, crop or annotate them.

If there is a court case, bring the case number, the county, the names of the attorneys, and every upcoming deadline. A custody hearing in three weeks or a discovery cutoff next month changes how an investigator schedules work. If you have an attorney, ask whether they want to be part of the consultation or retain the investigator directly.

• Court orders, case number and county
• Hearing dates, discovery cutoffs and other deadlines
• Attorney names and contact details
• Photos you took yourself, with dates

05Outcome

Decide what you need to know

Try to finish this sentence before the call: at the end of this investigation, I need to know whether or where or who. Examples include whether a claimant is performing activities inconsistent with an injury, where a defendant currently lives so papers can be served, or who a business partner has been meeting.

Also think about what you will do with the answer. Evidence for a Tennessee court needs careful documentation and may require testimony. Personal peace of mind may need less. Being honest about your purpose and budget lets the investigator recommend the right scope, and at Delator Group that scope, timeline and cost are put in writing before work begins.

06Discretion

Protect your privacy while you prepare

If the person you are concerned about shares your phone plan, computer, cloud account or email, assume they may see what you search and send. Use a device and account only you control. Call or text the investigator from a phone the subject cannot review, and store your notes somewhere private.

Do not gather material you are not entitled to. Logging into another person's accounts, reading their locked phone or placing a tracker on a car you do not own can break Tennessee or federal law and damage your case. Bring only what you lawfully have, and let the investigator decide what else can be obtained properly.

Interactive checklist

Consultation prep checklist

Work through these items before you call, and check them off as you go.

Step by step

How a Delator consultation works

1. 01

   Reach out privately

   Call or text (629) 310-8667 or email contact@delatorgroup.com from a device you control.

2. 02

   Talk with leadership

   A member of leadership handles the first consultation and asks about facts, goals and deadlines.

3. 03

   Review options together

   We explain which lawful methods fit your goal and what they can realistically show.

4. 04

   Receive a written scope

   You get scope, timeline and cost in writing before any work begins.

Compare

What to bring for common case types

FAQ

Frequently asked questions