Choosing a licensed private investigator is essential for making sure you adhere to legal and ethical standards.
This guarantees that the evidence gathered is court-admissible and that client confidentiality is rigorously maintained throughout the investigation.
At On-Call Legal, our team is ready to provide you with immediate, expert assistance 24/7. Whether you’re facing a business dispute, personal injury, or any legal challenge, we’re here to help you navigate through it with confidence and ease. Contact us today!
On-call Legal investigators are professionals who serve as your needed support system. We go above and beyond for our clients, offering:
Advanced surveillance for a variety of clients including insurance companies, legal firms, corporate entities, and private individuals
From marital disputes to complex corporate fraud
Comprehensive background checks, including detailed social media investigations
We are ready to go anywhere, offer a full range of services, and act as extra support for your legal staff.
Methods Employed in Legal Support Services
These methods are the various ways the investigator gathers information. It often varies depending on the uniqueness of the case.
Monitoring
Private investigators may decide to play the long waiting game by observing and monitoring the activities of people involved in a case. During this period, they are not in a rush, they are observant of behavioral patterns that may give them clues.
Background Checks
It isn’t out of place for private investigators to want to run background checks on those involved in a case. It is one of the methods used in carrying out legal investigative services.
Running a background check includes checking criminal records, financial history and pattern, and even family history. All these give insights to the way of life of the individuals.
Doing a background check on financial history usually comes up during cases like insurance fraud investigations or lost or stolen property. For cases like infidelity investigations, a background check on family history will come in handy.
Interrogations
Interrogating those involved in a case is the most common method for legal investigative services. Here, the investigator probes and questions those involved in a case. From the responses obtained, private investigators can draw up analysis and conclusions.
It is important to note that interrogations do not only happen in court.
Interrogation requires special skills to get the needed information from the individuals. This is why only skilled professionals should handle this job.
They know the best way to carry out cross-examination and get relevant information.
A private investigator can also carry out witness interviews. Their job is to get information from people and filter out information needed for the legal investigation services to make informed decisions.
Document Examination
There may be a need for private investigators to check through contracts and documents, depending on the case. If the case centers on forgery and other fraud-related cases, this would be a commonly used method.
When documents have to be checked, you need attorney services. These lawyers are in the best place to assist with records retrieval and even document filing.
Digital Forensics
In states like California, it is safe to say that almost everyone has access to technology in one way or the other. Therefore, it isn’t out of place that a private investigator would want to analyze technological devices for investigative services. Sadly, people have begun utilizing digital technologies for fraudulent practices.
Key Investigative Services
Child Custody and Infidelity Investigations
In the sensitive realms of child custody and infidelity, we provide invaluable assistance. They utilize sophisticated surveillance methods to discreetly gather crucial evidence, thus empowering clients with information to make informed decisions.
Insurance Fraud Detection
Adeptly identifying fraudulent claims through targeted surveillance, aiding insurance companies in preventing substantial financial losses.
Background Checks and Due Diligence
Conducting thorough background checks and due diligence is a cornerstone of investigation services. This process involves a meticulous review of public records, social media activity, and verification of personal and professional credentials.
Missing Persons and Skip Tracing
Skills in database searches, public record analysis, and on-the-ground investigations are crucial in tracking down elusive persons and our private Investigators have what it takes.
Why Are Legal Investigations Necessary?
Having evidence is the only way to win a legal proceeding. Investigative services assist in getting information to build compelling cases for the evidence.
Some key reasons for legal investigations are:
1. Fact Gathering
Through legal investigation services, one gathers facts that help to build a case. Irrespective of the type of case, getting facts is necessary. By using any of the legal investigative services methods, you get facts that unravel the truth.
2. Making Sure Justice is Served
The aim of any case is to ensure fairness and justice. Through investigative services, you get information that gives a clear picture of the case.
It aids the integrity of the legal process and ensures that everyone is entitled to a fair hearing.
3. Case Building
Legal investigative services help build credible cases that can stand scrutiny in a court of law. It comes in handy in arguing these cases and persuading judges.
The stronger a case, the stronger the chances of it being swayed in your favor.
The Process of Working with Private Investigators
Initial Consultation and Case Assessment
The process commences with an initial consultation to understand the client’s needs and objectives. Following this, a customized investigation plan and timeline are developed.
Ongoing Communication and Updates
Throughout the investigation, PIs maintain regular communication with clients, providing updates and ensuring the client is actively involved in the process.
On-Call Legal is Here for You
To compliment our certified process servers and our commitment to getting your papers served, On-Call employs licensed private investigators who utilize current nationwide databases, public records, and investigative resources for skip tracing and locating evasive defendants and other legal investigation services.
Rely on On-Call to handle all your investigative needs, including: private, legal, civil and criminal investigations, judgment recovery, asset searches, bank account searches and surveillance. Providing you peace of mind that you have done your diligence in a case.
Investigative work in California requires a licence from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services under the Private Investigator Act, Business and Professions Code section 7512 and following. Unlicensed investigation is a misdemeanour, and evidence gathered by someone working without a licence invites a challenge that has nothing to do with the merits of your case. Work is carried out by licensed investigators, and the licence number is available on request. If you are comparing providers, asking for the number and checking it against the Bureau’s register takes a minute and is worth doing every time.
Admissibility depends on how the evidence was obtained as much as what it shows. Surveillance conducted from a public vantage point, records obtained through lawful channels, and statements taken without misrepresentation generally survive challenge. Recordings made in breach of California’s two-party consent rule under Penal Code section 632 generally do not. Investigators work to the standard that the material may end up in front of a judge, which means documented chain of custody, timestamped notes, and a report written so it can be read by opposing counsel without embarrassment.
Surveillance observes what someone does now: movements, activity levels, who they meet, whether a claimed limitation matches how the person actually moves. It produces video, stills and a log. A background check assembles what the record already holds: criminal history where accessible, civil filings, liens, property records, business affiliations, and past addresses. One tells you about behaviour, the other about history. Insurance and personal injury matters often need both, because a claim file that looks clean on paper can look different once activity is observed.
There is no useful average, and anyone quoting one is guessing. What determines it is the subject’s routine, how predictable it is, and how much activity the case actually needs to show. Some matters resolve within a single day when the subject leaves the house and does something inconsistent with the claim. Others need several sessions spread across different days and times before a pattern emerges, because a person observed on one quiet Tuesday tells you very little. Sessions are scheduled around when activity is likely rather than in fixed blocks.
Skip tracing works through the record trail a person leaves: utility connections, property records, vehicle registrations, employment filings, relatives and known associates, and prior addresses. It is the same work whether the person is avoiding service, has moved without notice, or is an heir nobody has spoken to in years. Where an address is confirmed, the file passes straight to service of process rather than being handed back for you to arrange separately. Where the trail runs out, you are told that rather than being billed for further searching that will not produce anything.
The subject’s full name, any known addresses, date of birth where you have it, and the case context — what you are trying to establish and what a useful outcome looks like. Case context matters more than clients expect, because an investigator who knows the claim is about a shoulder injury watches for different activity than one told only to observe. Where litigation is under way, the case number and the deadlines help. Anything you already hold, including prior reports and photographs, saves duplicated work and cost.
Reports are written to be usable in a case file: dated and timed entries, a factual account of what was observed without characterisation, and media attached and indexed rather than sent loose. Where surveillance produced nothing, the report says so and records the hours and the location. A report that only ever contains findings is a report nobody should trust. Where the material is likely to be produced or relied on, the report is prepared with that in mind from the start rather than rewritten afterwards.
Yes. Claim investigation work covers activity checks, recorded statements arranged through the claim handler, and background research on claim history and prior filings. The work is instructed by carriers, defence firms and self-insured employers. The purpose is to establish what is actually happening rather than to produce a particular result, and an investigator who reports only what a client hopes to hear is a liability in a case that goes to hearing. Where a claim looks legitimate, the report says that.
Yes, and combining the two saves the gap that usually opens up between them. When an investigator confirms an address or a pattern of movement, that information passes directly to a process server rather than being returned to you to arrange. This matters most with evasive subjects, where an address confirmed on Tuesday may be worthless by Friday. Attempts are documented for the proof of service, including the failed ones, because a declaration of due diligence needs the attempts recorded rather than summarised.
Surveillance is charged by the hour with travel time stated separately rather than folded into the rate. Background research and record searches are quoted per search, since the cost depends on which databases and jurisdictions are involved. Before work starts you get a written estimate with the assumptions it rests on, and where an investigation is going to exceed it you are told before the hours are incurred rather than afterwards. Cases that need a licensed investigator in another state carry that state’s rates.
4.7★★★★☆
Based on 23 Google reviews
THOMAS DAVID
★★★★★
2 years ago
I had to file a Writ of Review with the California Court of Appeal. I contact several services for assistances most were not interested and others didn't provide the services I needed. I called On-Call Legal Process Servers and spoke to one of their staff. The staff member gave me a list of services they provide everything from a small claims court, to Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court. They will assist you in the filing all court documents and proof of service. To get start with On-Call Legal Process Servers and more an account has to be opened online. Before charges can be posted to the account an Email is sent out listing the proposed charges. The staff returns Email questions and orders during their normal business hours during the same day. On-Call Legal Process Servers file the writ for me and obtain the filing court's case number.
S Strauss
★★★★★
a year ago
I had an exceptional experience with On-Call Legal Process Servers. They were incredibly reliable and efficient, especially when I needed rush service over the weekend. Their website was very user-friendly, providing clear fee information, and their outstanding customer service further boosted my confidence in their services, which made them an easy choice out of the many process server companies I looked into. Thanks to their prompt delivery, the served party contacted me shortly afterward to settle the case. Given their extensive coverage beyond Los Angeles, I plan to use them again soon for a small claims case in Riverside County.
DR. Guita Balakhane
★★★★★
2 years ago
I was fortunate enough to be introduced to On-Call Legal through a family friend for services of process. Not only were the owners Brandon & David incredibly kind, but their process servers were professional, fast and affordable. I would use them again and would recommend them to anyone.
Lisa Britton
★☆☆☆☆
a year ago
Poorest example of legal process servers I’ve EVER seen in 30 years of legal work. On top of it they’re crooks and illegally charged my card without my permission. I had used when originally hiring them 5 months prior. If ZERO stars was an option I would have selected it!!
Denise altobelli
★★★★★
3 years ago
On-Call was absolutely AMAZING! Our trial team at Brown Goldstein & Levy flew into LA for a USDC trial from Baltimore. From first contact, On-Call was professional, prompt & handled everything we threw at them from exhibit binders for the Court and parties, to delivery to Court to meet our 8:30 am filing deadline! David A & his team handled everything! Looking forward to working with them again!
Reviews from Google, ordered by relevance. Showing ratings of 4 stars and above.
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