Family Law Case Studies

Investigation Helped Client Get Her Rightful Share

The Client was a partner in a thriving import business, and her husband was gradually turning over operations to his son, the client’s step-son.

• Investigation disclosed that the father and son, in anticipation of the divorce, began transferring the assets of the import business to several other companies they set up in the immediate vicinity.
• Research verified the establishment of the new corporations. A forensic accountant conducted a visit to the company and began tracking the inventory and expenses.
• The client had obtained a copy of the company’s sales routes. Field investigators reconstructed the sales routes to develop an accurate inventory of vendor accounts and income derived from the various routes. Surveillance also disclosed the transfer of equipment and inventory to a nearby location.

Result: With this data, the accountant and the attorney were able to challenge the husband’s claim of loss of income from the business and the fraudulent transfer of assets to the new corporations, in an effort to deny the client her rightful share of the profits.

Full Amount of Support Reinstated

The client’s ex-husband was claiming loss of income after the sale of his business and had reduced the client’s alimony payments.

• Research disclosed that the ex-husband had purchased a luxury import vehicle for cash and placed the title into the name of his girlfriend, a topless dancer.
• Surveillance uncovered the ex-husband withdrawing cash from a previously undisclosed bank account, supported by an offshore account with wire transfers.

Result: The client’s attorney was able to argue against the reduction of alimony and had the full amount reinstated.

Adoption Petition Granted

The client was petitioning for adoption of an infant child, and the maternal uncle was opposing the petition.

• A routine gathering of incident reports and court records disclosed that the uncle had a history of drug arrests and petit theft, which the child services agency had failed to find.

Result: Based on the information provided, the parental rights were terminated and the client’s adoption petition was granted.

Custody Awarded to Client, and Order Entered Prohibiting Contact with Minor Child

The client sued the child’s mother, a bartender and suspected prostitute, for custody.

• Surveillance disclosed that the mother was leaving client’s daughter with a male friend. A background check included gathering incident reports from law enforcement agencies and court records.
• These records disclosed that a former neighbor had accused the male friend of exposing himself to the client’s minor child two years prior. A charge of lewd exposure was filed by the State Attorney’s office, but the mother failed to cooperate and the charges were subsequently dropped.
• Investigators located the former neighbor, now living out of state. A sworn, recorded statement was obtained from the witness, confirming his prior accusation, and statement was presented to the client’s attorney. A custody hearing was scheduled, and the witness was flown in from out of state to testify.

Result: Custody was awarded to the client, and an order was entered prohibiting the mother from allowing the male friend to have any contact with the minor child.