WHAT ARE COMMON TYPES OF INVESTIGATIONS A NEW JERSEY BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR WILL CONDUCT IN NEW JERSEY?

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A New Jersey Background Investigator utilizes background checks for a multitude of New Jersey Investigations. At times the NJ background check by a private detective may simply be one of due diligence. Such a NJ Due Diligence Investigation conducted by a New Jersey Private Detective. At all times when conducting an investigation a private detective must have a proper predicate for conducting a background investigation, whether it is the foundation of a larger investigation, or supplemental and supportive of an inquiry. 

What follows is a list of the types Investigations that a New Jersey Private Detective may conduct background investigations on. This is not an exclusive list; I will address each type of background investigation separately directly after the list. Please keep in mind, although these most of these background investigations seem to indicate they are only available in New Jersey, that is not the case. A New Jersey Background Investigator can conduct background investigations nationwide.

  • NJ Infidelity Background Investigations
  • NJ Alimony Background Investigations
  • NJ Cohabitation Background Investigations
  • NJ Child Custody Background Investigations
  • Employee Misconduct Background Investigations
  • NJ Criminal Defense Background Investigations
  • NJ Civil Law Background Investigations
  • NJ Litigation Support Background Investigations
  • Asset Background Investigations 
  • NJ Social Media Background Investigations
  • NJ Skip Tracing Background Investigations
  • NJ Subpoena Service Background Investigations
  • NJ Reunification Background Investigations
  • NJ Motor Vehicle Reunification Background Investigations

WHAT ARE THE BEST BACKGROUND PLATFORMS FOR A NEW JERSEY BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR TO USE IN CONDUCTING BACKGROUND INQUIRIES?

A New Jersey Background Investigator will have several platforms available to choose from in order to run the all-important New Jersey Background Investigation. The choice of the background platform a NJ Private Detective will use will most often be the foundation for the beginning of an inquiry in most types of investigations. The background platform a NJ Private Detective will use will directly result in the quality of the information returned or lack thereof.

The very best background platform available to a New Jersey Private Investigator, in my opinion, is the “Thomson Reuters Clear” background Platform, (link and explanation provided) https://cowaninvestigations.com/backgrounds/ . The “Thomson Reuters Clear” platform provides the New Jersey Private Investigator with the most up-to-date information available. This is a background platform that most New Jersey Private Investigators WILL NOT USE BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE. Many NJ Private Detectives are short-sighted in addition to running their business on a shoestring. The most qualified private investigators have a blend of law enforcement experience coupled with an acute business sense. Unfortunately, many, not all, NJ Private Detectives come from law enforcement agencies which often results in the “public worker mentality” which limits forward vision and creativity. The best private investigators realize the value of investing in quality background platforms as well as the proper quality of equipment such as vehicles, cameras, computers, etc. 

Circling back to the background investigation, there are three background platforms most NJ Private Detectives will utilize. The two platforms that many NJ Background Investigators use are IRB Backgrounds, TLO Backgrounds, and finally, Tracer’s Background. It has been the experience of our private investigator firm, that the better of the three, with the most updated records, is the “Tracers Background Platform”.

A fourth background Platform is the “Thomson Reuters Clear” Background Platform. Our NJ Private Investigator firm uses this background resource which and have found to be the best available, although expensive. Our NJ Private Investigator Firm utilizes both the “Thomson Reuters Clear” and the “Tracers” Background Platform which we have found is the best blend for obtaining information. 

Our NJ background investigators have found that the staffs at the “Thomson Reuters Clear” and the “Tracers” Background Platforms are phenomenal. Both background platforms are staffed with employees that care, many times the staff will assist our NJ Background Investigators in navigating to the correct information. I simply cannot say enough about the staff at both these companies, any serious and competent NJ Private Detective Firm will have at least two background Investigation platforms.

WHEN IS IT IMPORTANT FOR A PARENT TO TO HIRE A NEW JERSEY CHILD CUSTODY INVESTIGATOR?

One of the most important investigations a New Jersey Background Investigator will ever conduct is a New Jersey Child Custody Investigation. Our children are so important, they are innocent of all the ills of the world, but are often the target of abuse, neglect, or other dangerous behavior at the hands of adults. It is so very important that both parents in a custody dispute act like adults and have the best interests of the child at top of their minds. Often when parents divorce, either or both parents will use the children to hurt the other. When conducting an investigation in the best interest of the children it is very important to hire a competent New Jersey Child Custody Investigator.

 Often one of the tactics an unscrupulous parent will employ is the weaponization of domestic violence laws. If a parent becomes a victim of this type of behavior, he/she should consider retaining an attorney as well as an experienced Child Custody Investigator. A NJ Private detective with a deep background in municipal law enforcement can be of great assistance when one parent weaponizes the domestic violence laws against the other parents. If only for the fact that a NJ Child Custody Investigator would be able to give the victim of the weaponization of the domestic violence laws some good advice on how to avoid being victimized by phony allegations.

Another problem parents often experience is the introduction of a boyfriend/girlfriend into the lives of their children. Anytime a parent introduces a new adult person into the lives of the children it is important that the applicable parent tells the other parent about his/her new relationship. Meaning that the parent in the new relationship should tell the other parent as much as they can about the background of the new person entering the lives of their children.

In my experience as a NJ Child Custody Investigator, I have found that many times a parent will not be upfront about their new relationships. Often, a parent will not tell the other parent about the new relationship and the background of that new person in the lives of the children. When this occurs alarm bells should go off for the other parent, for the sake of the children the other parent should assume that the other party could be a risk to the children until proven otherwise through a thorough NJ Background Investigation.

A NJ Background Investigator can give you peace of mind when the other parent refuses to provide the background on a new person around the children. This does not have to exclusively apply to just new lovers, it could also apply to a new circle of friends. An experienced NJ Background Investigator equipped with the appropriate background investigation platforms can do quite a thorough job in compiling a background workup on an individual. A competent New Jersey Private Investigator can obtain:

  1. Criminal History Records
  2. Sex Offender Records
  3. Driver History
  4. Vehicle ownership
  5. Judgments against the individual
  6. Law Suits settled and pending
  7. Municipal Court Records
  8. Social Media
  9. Previous Addresses of individuals
  10. Public Records Concerning Police Responses to a person’s prior addresses, and much more

An experienced NJ Private Detective conducting a background check that does not find a lot of bad stuff could actually be good for your children. During NJ Child Custody Issues or concerns, it is always best for a parent to do their due diligence, better safe than sorry.

HOW CAN A NEW JERSEY COHABITATION INVESTIGATOR HELP ME IF I AM PAYING ALIMONY TO AN EX-SPOUSE WHO IS COHABITATING?

Often, a payor of alimony suspects that the payee of alimony is cohabiting. When suspicion of alimony fraud arises a New Jersey Cohabitation Investigator will often be contacted to conduct a Cohabitation Investigation.  At the intake of an alimony investigation, the NJ Cohabitation Investigator will obtain as much information as possible. The amount of background a client is able to provide will have a direct effect on the amount of background investigation that needs to be conducted and thus determine the cost of the investigation. I have had clients in NJ Cohabitation Investigations that possessed a plethora of actionable information and others who lived far from New Jersey and had almost information on the ex-spouse.  The latter requires deep investigation, which of course results in a more expensive investigation.

When laying out the foundation for a NJ Cohabitation Investigation, a competent NJ Background Investigator can get the following, (only a partial list):

  1. Vehicles registered and operated by the subjects of the NJ Cohabitation Investigation
  2. The addresses of both subjects of the Alimony Investigation
  3. Social and family connections the subjects may share
  4. Restaurants the subjects frequent together as well as activities they participate in as a couple
  5. Holidays that the subjects spend together as a couple as well as with what family the couple spends this holiday time with

The above is not an exclusive list. However, as you can see, often it is the NJ Background Investigator that will provide the foundation for a successful NJ Cohabitation Investigation.

I will transgress a bit to relate in order to a story about a background check we had conducted in 2021 related to a NJ Cohabitation Investigation.  With this background investigation, we were able to immediately obtain an accurate and specific apartment number. In addition, we found that one of the subjects had two bankruptcies, the first bankruptcy occurred in 2006, which meant that this subject could not declare bankruptcy for the next seven years. In 2013 the first bankruptcy was discharged, and two years later in 2015 the subject once again went bankrupt. I found this very interesting I feel this type of information is important in assessing a subject’s motivation and character as you enter into an NJ Cohabitation Investigation.

HOW CAN A NEW JERSEY BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR ASSIST IN AN INFIDELITY INVESTGATION?

Infidelity in a relationship is probably at the forefront of why many couples break up. Many of the people we help do not realize there is actually a reason beyond having a cheating spouse why a background investigation is often necessary. A smart person suspecting their spouse is cheating will retain a New Jersey Background Investigator to first conduct a due diligence investigation. 

As indicated earlier, a clever client would want to find out where all the couple’s assets and liabilities are located. An asset investigation would be a logical ending point for a New Jersey Infidelity Investigation in which evidence of unfaithfulness was obtained. If your NJ Private Investigator was to obtain evidence of infidelity your first step should be having your NJ Private Detective conduct an asset search. This asset search should be conducted BEFORE you confront your spouse with evidence of cheating, regardless of knowing if you would even reconcile with the cheater. This asset search is for your protection in the event the infidelity results in a marital breakup. When the victim of a cheating spouse knows where the assets are he/she will be in a better position to secure said assets should there be a divorce. It will protect you.

Other forms of background searches that could assist a NJ Private Detective in performing infidelity investigations include but are not limited to:

  • Background checks to assure the other party is not dangerous
  • Property Ownership
  • Social media sweeps
  • Media Searches
  • Vehicle Identification Processes
  • Municipal Court Records
  • Full Background Searches on the spouses love interest, this inquiry could potentially identify dangerous situations your partner may be exposed to if his/her love interest were to have a criminal history
  • Property Searches may provide information about others that could be affected by the infidelity

Once again, the above is not an exclusive list related to NJ Infidelity Investigations.

WHAT ROLE DOES A NEW JERSEY PRIVATE DETECTIVE PLAY IN PROVIDING LITIGATION SUPPORT TO A CRIMINAL & CIVIL DEFENSE ATTORNYS?

A New Jersey Private Detective often plays a crucial role in assisting criminal and civil defense attorneys with litigation support. When an attorney is defending someone against criminal/civil charges it is crucial, he retains a NJ Private Detective to assist with his/her defense. 

One of the primary functions a NJ Private Detective will provide is background investigation for multiple purposes, such as: 

  • A thorough background investigation on the client will let the attorney understand his client as well as what the prosecution may also have
  • A complete background inquiry on all potential witnesses. The results of this background investigation could impeach the credibility of potential witnesses, prior to them even taking the witness stand
  • A NJ Background Investigator will be needed to locate and contact potential witnesses that can benefit the client or testify against the client
  • A NJ Background Investigation may be required in order for the private investigator to serve subpoenas on witnesses. It will be essential for the service of the subpoena that the NJ Background Investigator be able to locate that witness

The above is not an exclusive list of how a NJ Background Investigator can assist in litigation.

HOW CAN A NEW JERSEY BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR ASSIST A CLIENT DURING A NEW JERSEY DIVORCE INVESTIGATION?

A New Jersey Private Investigator often has a crucial role to play in New Jersey Divorce Investigations.

 Primary among the functions a NJ Background Investigator can perform is to locate assets, hidden or otherwise of the client’s spouse. Our New Jersey Private Detective Firm has found that when a couple may be on the cusp of divorce one or both of the couple will try to move and hide assets. A NJ Background investigator is often able to identify bank and brokerage accounts as well as properties that one of the parties to the divorce may be concealing. 

It is crucial that when entering into the divorce process a spouse conducts an asset and property search on his/her spouse. The cost for this type of investigation is well worth it when you consider what is lost. Our private detective firm alone has located millions of dollars of concealed finances and property during our due diligence Asset Investigations are an efficient method as well as other property and business investigations that may be hidden.

WHAT IS A NEW JERSEY SKIP TRACE INVESTIGATION?

That is a great question, a New Jersey Skip Trace Investigation is essentially the locating of a subject for a variety of purposes. A NJ Skip Trace Private Detective is normally assigned to the task of searching for a person for a multitude of purposes, such as:

  • Locate a witness to be served process in a civil or criminal matter
  • Locating of parties named in a will as part of a due process function of the executor of an estate
  • Locate of a person that may have absconded with movable property which has been subjected to a lien and ordered seized in order to satisfy a judgment, this is not an exclusive list

The majority of work a NJ Skip Trace Investigator will perform is conducted on background platforms as discussed earlier in this article. However, there may be times a NJ Skip Trace Private Detective may be required to go into the field in order to verify the information the investigator had acquired. At times, the information that rests outside the jurisdiction of a New Jersey Private Investigator may have to be verified by a sub-contracted private detective.

WOULD A NEW JERSEY BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR BE HELPFUL IN A EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATION?

There are several types of background investigations a New Jersey Background Investigator will be retained to conduct for an employer. Two of the types of inquires a New Jersey Background Investigator most often finds his or herself conducting are:

  1. An employee screening investigation, with this type of investigation the employer will have to obtain the written consent of the prospective employee.  After an employer obtains the applicants consent, the NJ Private detective can begin a battery of inquiries across a broad base of search platforms. 

A private investigator can begin with a sweeping search of the overall applicant through the private detectives’ informational platforms. I would recommend the “Thomas Reuter Clear Platform’ to be the primary source of information for any background inquiry with its results being checked against the “Tracers Platform. These platforms will give you an idea if the applicant has judgements and liens against him, foreclosures of property, evictions etc. In addition, an applicant’s social media can be looked at as well as any media that had been written about him/her.  Afterwards two good ancillary searches would be New Jersey State Police Criminal History Search as well as obtaining driver abstract records. 

If there are any findings made that may cause to cause the employer to make a hiring decision against the applicant, it would be wise for the employer to question the applicant about any issues that had affected said decision.  This step is very important, because most of the information you are receiving are the results of unvetted public records. Even Government records obtained by a NJ Private Detective should be noted, as these records could also be faulty, the applicant should have a chance to refute any derogatory information affecting the hiring decision. 

One thing that must always be remembered, “the accuracy of records is only as god as the persons inputting the information into the database”

  1. The second type of investigation is the “Employee Misconduct” Investigation.  The primary difference between the employee screening investigation and the “Employee Misconduct Investigation” is that in most instances there is not a requirement to obtain the cooperation of a suspected offender.  Many of the inquiries as described in Section #1 above can be conducted on the suspected employee without his/her consent so long as there is a predication.

Additionally, during an “Employee Misconduct” Investigation a NJ Private Detective can also expand the investigation to surveillance, undercover operations as well as other investigative steps which will be determined by the client’s budget.

All of the above information contains the most common type of background investigations a NJ Private Detective may conduct, it is not an exclusive list.