Best ways to locate a witness location

The Best ways to locate a witness location.

In litigation, one witness can be the difference between winning and losing. Unfortunately, that witness might not be easy to find. But, if you have a name, you have enough to start your search.
One of the best methods for locating witnesses is to utilize public records in your search. Even starting an in a public records search platform with relatively little information can yield robust results.

Rely on Experts

That’s why many attorneys rely on professional investigative agencies, such as ASG Investigations, to locate witnesses and obtain statements that win their cases. Our licensed private investigators who work for attorneys are well-versed in the methods and art of locating people like witnesses and individuals who need to be served with the civil process. Not only are our investigators trained to locate people, but they also have the right tools for the job – from state-of-the-art computer data sources to extensive networks of contacts and resources across the country, and across the globe.

Don’t source the wrong expert.

Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. Especially in technical situations, such as medical malpractice suits, you may not have the knowledge or training required to determine the best expert for your case. For instance, a client at ECS once spent time searching and approached us looking for an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist, but once we reviewed their case, we determined a neurologist was actually required.

Working With Expert Witness Directories

Expert witness directories can also help you find the right expert in some instances, as they allow the researcher to browse for consultants in a particular area of expertise.
Many local bar associations maintain local expert witness directories. These can be useful if time or cost is of the essence, or if your case involves a feature or event that is location-specific. Many large online legal directories maintain expert directories as well – although, as with any internet search, you’ll need to closely tailor your search terms and take advantage of any advanced search features to optimize your results. The downside to expert witness directories is that their experts usually pay a listing fee. This limits the number of qualified experts that may be members and, worst of all, may include a significant number of “experts” who spend the majority of their time in courtrooms, rather than practicing in their area of expertise.

Obtain Effective Statements

However, locating a witness is just the first step. Obtaining statements that stand up to intense scrutiny in court is equally important to your case, and it requires both experience and training. Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working with a large number of attorneys to locate witnesses and then obtain recorded and written statements from them.
In fact, we have a group of investigators who specialize in this area. Many of our investigators are graduates of the Reid School of Interviewing and Interrogation, a firm that has trained countless members of law enforcement in the art of proper interviewing techniques.

For added efficiency throughout this process, consider using a public records search provider that aggregates, sorts, and summarizes all of the relevant public records results for you. Doing so can help save valuable time when locating a missing witness.
Even in the unlikely scenario that one has little luck locating a witness through these methods, public records are so expansive that, with a bit of creativity, very few individuals are completely undiscoverable.

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Best ways to locate a witness location

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