Legal Disclaimer for Delator Group and Every Delator Brand

01Scope

Who and what this disclaimer covers

This Legal Disclaimer ("Disclaimer") is issued by Delator Group and applies, jointly and in full, to Delator Group and to every present and future Delator trade name, assumed name, "doing business as" name, division, subsidiary, affiliate, chapter and brand, together with their officers, directors, chapter officers, employees, consultants and agents (collectively, "Delator," "we," "us" or "our"). It applies whether or not a particular Delator name is listed on this page.

This Disclaimer governs every "Engagement," meaning any request, consultation, order, payment, retainer, referral, service, website interaction or other dealing between Delator and any person, business, attorney, law firm, insurer, agency or other party ("Client," "you" or "your"), in any state, territory or country. By engaging Delator in any way, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to this Disclaimer.

This Disclaimer supplements, and is read together with, the Delator Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and any signed engagement agreement. If any of them conflict, the provision that gives Delator the greater protection controls, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

• Delator GroupParent company and Tennessee-licensed private investigation firm
• Delator NationalU.S. investigative consulting and network referral operations
• Delator GlobalInternational investigative consulting, corporate and cyber work
• Delator Field Services (DFS)Process serving and legal support division
• Delator Claims DivisionInsurance and claims investigation division
• Delator Group MississippiMississippi branch operations
• All other Delator namesEvery present or future Delator trade name, DBA, division, subsidiary, affiliate and chapter

02Indemnification

Client indemnification of Delator Group

Any Engagement with Delator involves the Client fully indemnifying Delator. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Client agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Delator Group and every Delator entity, and each of their officers, directors, chapter officers, employees, consultants and agents, from and against any and all claims, demands, suits, proceedings, losses, damages, liabilities, fines, penalties, judgments, settlements, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs of investigation, that arise out of or relate in any way to the Engagement.

This obligation covers, without limitation, claims arising from the information, instructions or materials Client provides; the purpose for which Client requests or uses any work product; the acts or omissions of any investigator, process server or other professional to whom Delator refers Client; Client's own acts or omissions; and any allegation that the requested work violated a law, regulation, court order or the rights of a third party.

Client's indemnification obligations survive the completion, cancellation or termination of any Engagement and apply regardless of the legal theory asserted, except where a court of competent jurisdiction finally determines that a loss was caused solely by Delator's own gross negligence or willful misconduct, or where applicable law does not permit indemnification.

03Network referrals

Referrals in states and territories where Delator is not licensed

In any state, territory or country where Delator does not hold its own private investigation license (a "Network Jurisdiction"), Delator operates only as an investigative consultant and referral coordinator. In a Network Jurisdiction, Delator does not perform private investigation work itself. Delator screens the matter, then vets and refers Client to an independent investigator or agency that holds the license required in that jurisdiction (a "Referred Investigator").

Client understands and agrees that the Referred Investigator Delator selects is fully and solely responsible for every aspect of the case, including the methods used, the legality and conduct of the work, compliance with local licensing and privacy law, the handling of evidence and information, reporting, testimony, fees and results.

A Referred Investigator is not a Delator employee, contractor, subcontractor, agent, partner or joint venturer. Delator only vetted and referred the investigator. Delator's vetting is limited to steps such as confirming the investigator's license status at the time of referral, and Delator makes no warranty or guarantee about any Referred Investigator's skill, availability, conduct or results. Delator may receive a referral, coordination or consulting fee in connection with a referral.

• Delator does not supervise, direct or control a Referred Investigator's work.
• Any agreement for investigative services in a Network Jurisdiction is between Client and the Referred Investigator.
• Delator cannot be held liable for any act or omission of a Referred Investigator.
• A current list of jurisdictions where Delator holds its own license is available on request.

04Hands-off policy

Delator's hands-off policy once work begins

Delator maintains a fully hands-off policy after a Referred Investigator begins work. From that point on, Delator does not manage, monitor, approve, review or take part in the case, and it does not act as an intermediary, guarantor or escrow between Client and the Referred Investigator.

Any issue, complaint, disagreement, billing question or dispute with a Referred Investigator, of any kind, is only ever between Client and that investigator. Client agrees to resolve those matters directly with the Referred Investigator, or with the licensing authority that regulates the investigator in that jurisdiction, and agrees not to name or pursue Delator in any claim, complaint or proceeding arising from the Referred Investigator's work.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Client releases Delator from any and all claims arising from the acts, omissions, advice, statements, work product or fees of a Referred Investigator. Delator may, at its sole discretion, decline future referrals to any investigator, but doing so creates no duty or liability to Client.

05Notice to agencies

Notice to government agencies and licensing regulators

Government agencies, licensing boards and regulators should understand the nature of Delator's operations in Network Jurisdictions. In those jurisdictions, Delator operates as an investigative consultant agency. Delator is not advertising private investigative services there, is not holding itself out as licensed to perform private investigation there, and is not attempting to come across as advertising or offering such services.

Any website content, directory listing, location page or advertisement that mentions a Network Jurisdiction refers only to Delator's consulting, case screening and referral coordination, and to services performed by appropriately licensed Referred Investigators. Nothing published by Delator should be read as an offer by Delator to personally conduct investigations where Delator is not licensed to do so.

Where an activity, such as process serving, cyber security consulting or authorized penetration testing, does not require a private investigation license in a jurisdiction, Delator may perform that activity directly, within the limits of local law and a written agreement with the Client.

06Lawful requests

How Delator responds to government requests and demands

Delator will always comply with requests and demands from lawfully recognized government bodies and authorized agencies, subject to the protections for client information described in Section 07. Questions, requests, notices and demands may be sent to [email protected], which is monitored by Delator leadership.

To help us respond promptly, please include the name of the agency, the requesting official, a callback telephone number, a description of the request and any legal authority or case number relied on. Delator may verify the identity and authority of any requester before responding.

07Confidentiality

Client and case information is released only by court order

Delator will under no circumstances release client or case information of any kind, including client identities, communications, instructions, case files, reports, photographs, recordings or billing records, unless legally ordered to do so by a state or federal court of the United States.

If Delator receives a subpoena, records request or other demand that is not itself an order of a United States court, Delator will, where the law allows, notify the affected Client and will not produce client or case information until a state or federal court of the United States orders production. Client may also authorize a specific release in a signed writing.

Where a court orders production, Delator will produce only what the order requires and, where permitted, will notify the affected Client before doing so.

08Records

Records retention and permanent destruction

Delator retains client and case records for no more than seven (7) years after the close of the matter. After that time, records are fully destroyed, in paper and electronic form, using methods intended to make them permanently unrecoverable. Once destroyed, records cannot be recovered, reproduced or provided to anyone, including the Client, a court or an agency.

If a record is subject to a pending court order, an active legal hold, an open matter or an unresolved dispute when its retention period ends, Delator may keep that record until the order, hold, matter or dispute is resolved, and will then destroy it. Clients who need copies of their own work product should request them while the matter is open and keep them in their own files.

In a Network Jurisdiction, the Referred Investigator keeps its own case file under its own license and its own retention rules. Delator keeps only its own intake and referral records, which follow the same seven-year limit.

09Lawful use

Lawful purpose, consumer reports and no legal advice

Client represents that every Engagement is requested for a lawful purpose and that Client will use any information or work product only for lawful purposes. Delator and its Referred Investigators will not obtain records by pretexting, hack or access accounts or devices, place tracking devices without legal authority, impersonate law enforcement, or locate or contact any person in violation of a protective order or applicable law.

Unless a separate written agreement expressly says otherwise, nothing Delator provides is a "consumer report" under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, and it may not be used to decide a person's eligibility for employment, housing, credit or insurance.

Delator is not a law firm, and nothing on this website or in any communication from Delator is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship. Client should consult a licensed attorney about legal rights, deadlines and strategy. Results depend on facts outside Delator's control and are never guaranteed, and past results or testimonials do not predict future outcomes.

10General

International work, website content and general provisions

Outside the United States, Delator's investigative work runs on the same network model described in Section 03: locally licensed partners perform licensed investigative activity, and they alone are responsible for it. Delator does not offer any services in Singapore. Local law in some countries strictly limits investigative activity, and Delator may decline any matter at its sole discretion.

Website content is general information, provided as is, and may change without notice. Links to third-party websites are provided for convenience only, and Delator is not responsible for their content or practices. Information sent through a website form or general email before an Engagement is accepted is not treated as confidential case information, so please share sensitive details only after speaking with Delator.

This Disclaimer is governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any action against Delator relating to an Engagement or this Disclaimer must be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Davidson County, Tennessee. If any part of this Disclaimer is held unenforceable, it will be limited to the minimum extent necessary and the rest remains in full effect. Delator may update this Disclaimer at any time by posting a revised version on this page, and continued Engagement means acceptance of the revised version.

Compare

Delator-licensed work vs. network-referred work

Step by step

How a network referral works

1. 01

   Confidential consultation

   You describe the matter to Delator leadership. We confirm the jurisdiction and whether Delator handles the work directly or refers it.

2. 02

   Vetting and referral

   In a Network Jurisdiction, Delator vets and selects an independent investigator who holds the required local license, and introduces you.

3. 03

   Direct engagement

   You and the Referred Investigator agree on scope, fees and terms directly. That investigator is now fully responsible for the case.

4. 04

   Delator steps back

   Once work begins, Delator's hands-off policy applies. Questions about the case go to the Referred Investigator.

Interactive checklist

Acknowledgments before you engage Delator

Use this checklist to confirm you understand the key terms before you request a consultation.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions