Private investigations
Criminal Defense Investigations
Investigation for defense attorneys and public defense contractors: witness location and interviews, scene documentation, records and video, and review of the state’s digital evidence. Every assignment is directed by defense counsel and run within Arizona’s victims’ rights law.
When you need a criminal defense investigation
A criminal defense investigation is independent fact-gathering done at the direction of a defendant’s attorney to test the state’s case, find witnesses and evidence the police did not collect, and prepare the defense for motions, plea negotiations and trial. The police report is one version of events, written by one side. A defense investigator goes back to the scene, the witnesses and the records to see whether that version holds.
Counsel typically brings us in to:
- Find and interview a witness named only by a first name or a nickname in the report
- Check whether an officer or witness could actually see what they described from where they stood
- Collect business surveillance video before a system overwrites it
- Pull records that support an alibi, such as receipts, timecards, gate logs or rideshare trips
- Review the phone extraction or video the state disclosed, and spot what is missing
- Background a prosecution witness for prior statements, convictions or bias
We work for attorneys. If you are a defendant or a family member, please have your lawyer contact us, so the work is protected and coordinated with the defense strategy.
What we cover
Witness location and interviews
Locating witnesses through records and skip tracing, then interviewing those willing to talk. Interviews are documented in the format counsel prefers.
Scene documentation
Photographs, measurements, sight lines and lighting at the same time of day as the incident, plus notes on conditions such as monsoon dust, glare and traffic.
Records and video
Public records, business records, and video canvasses along the route. Questions about edits or timestamps go to photo and video metadata forensics.
Digital evidence review
A first read of the state’s extraction reports and media, with gaps flagged for counsel. Full analysis goes to mobile and tablet forensics.
How it works
- Engagement through counsel. The attorney retains us, sets the scope and receives every report. We do not take direction from the defendant without counsel’s approval.
- Disclosure review. We read the state’s disclosure and the police reports, then list leads, gaps and time-sensitive evidence.
- Written plan and quote. Counsel approves the tasks, the hours and the deliverables before work starts.
- Preserve first. Video, scene conditions and anything likely to disappear are handled before interviews.
- Field work. Witness location and interviews, scene work and records requests. Arizona field work is in-house. Out of state, we coordinate vetted, locally licensed partners.
- Report to counsel. Findings go only to the attorney, in the form the attorney requests, so counsel controls what is disclosed.
- Trial support. Investigators can testify about scene measurements, photographs and the chain of custody of evidence they collected.
Arizona victims’ rights: how we handle them
Arizona’s Victims’ Bill of Rights is part of the state constitution. Article 2, section 2.1 gives a crime victim the right to refuse an interview, deposition or other discovery request by the defendant, the defendant’s attorney or anyone acting on the defendant’s behalf. A defense investigator acts on the defendant’s behalf, so that right applies to us.
A.R.S. 13-4433 sets the procedure:
- The defendant, the defense attorney or an agent of the defendant may initiate contact with the victim only through the prosecutor’s office.
- The prosecutor’s office tells the victim about the interview request and the right to refuse.
- If the victim agrees, the prosecutor’s office passes on the time, place and any conditions the victim sets. The victim can end the interview or refuse any question.
- Unless the victim directs otherwise, the prosecutor may attend.
- For a minor victim, extra notice rules apply even if a parent agrees.
In practice, that means we never approach a victim directly, never use a pretext to reach one, and stop contact at once if we find we are speaking with a victim by accident. We also respect A.R.S. 13-4434. Victims’ identifying and locating information is redacted from discovery, and if a court orders it disclosed to defense counsel, counsel may share it only with staff and a designated investigator. We keep that information inside the defense team.
Witnesses who are not victims may talk to us or decline. If a witness has a lawyer, we go through the lawyer. Arizona is a one-party consent state under A.R.S. 13-3005, and we tell witnesses when an interview is being recorded. Our work is licensed under A.R.S. 32-2401 et seq., DPS agency license No. 1759795.
Checklist for defense counsel
- Send preservation requests early. Many DVR systems record over themselves on a rolling cycle. Call the business before you call the witness.
- Visit the scene in the same season. A summer evening on an open lot in Phoenix looks nothing like a winter morning. Light, heat shimmer and dust affect what anyone could see.
- Read the CAD and 911 records. Times, caller descriptions and unit arrivals often differ from the narrative report.
- Check the extraction scope. A phone report covering a narrow date range may leave out the context that matters.
- Plan subpoenas. Records custodians and reluctant witnesses may need formal process. Our process serving team can handle service.
- Line up experts early. If findings need opinion testimony, see expert witness testimony before the disclosure deadline.
Who this is for
- Private criminal defense attorneys
- Contract and conflict public defense counsel
- Defense teams preparing mitigation for sentencing
- Appellate and post-conviction counsel
- Juvenile defense attorneys
- Firms handling DUI, vehicular and assault cases along the I-10 and I-8 corridors
How it is priced
We do not publish prices. Cost depends on the number of witnesses, how hard they are to find, travel across Arizona, and the volume of digital evidence. We quote in writing to counsel before any work starts, and we can work within budgets approved for appointed cases.
| Included | Quoted separately |
|---|---|
| Review of the state’s disclosure and lead list | Forensic examination of devices and media |
| Witness location and interviews in the approved scope | Out-of-state field work through partner agencies |
| Scene photographs and measurements | Record fees charged by agencies and custodians |
| Written reports to counsel | Trial testimony and courtroom time |
Frequently asked questions
Can a defense investigator interview the victim?
Only if the victim agrees, and the request must go through the prosecutor’s office under A.R.S. 13-4433. The victim can refuse, set conditions or end the interview. We never contact a victim directly.
Do you work directly for defendants or their families?
We take criminal defense work through the defendant’s attorney. Working through counsel keeps the investigation coordinated with the defense and keeps reports in counsel’s hands.
Can you get the defendant’s phone records or the other side’s messages?
Not on our own. Phone carrier records and private messages require proper legal process, such as a subpoena or court order obtained by counsel. We do not pretext or access accounts.
What happens if you find evidence that hurts the defense?
We report it to counsel, accurately. The attorney decides what to do with it under the rules that govern defense disclosure. Accurate bad news before trial is more useful than a surprise during it.
How quickly should we start?
As early as possible. Video is overwritten, scenes change, and witnesses move. Starting soon after arraignment gives the defense the best chance to find what is still there.
Related services
- Litigation support and witness location
- Digital forensics
- Cloud account extraction
- Social media and website evidence preservation
- OSINT investigations
- Private investigations
Related guides
- The missing piece: locating and interviewing key witnesses
- CCTV and DVR video forensics: recovering footage
- The witness in the engine: vehicle black box analysis
Sources: Arizona Constitution, Article 2, Section 2.1, Victims’ Bill of Rights, A.R.S. 13-4433, victim’s right to refuse an interview, A.R.S. 13-4434, victim’s right to privacy, A.R.S. 13-3005, interception of communications.
Request this service
Tell us what you need in a few lines. Your request goes straight to the right team, and you get a written quote before any work starts.
Test the state’s case with facts
Counsel can request a defense investigation online, and it goes straight to the investigations team in confidence. If video or a scene is about to be lost before trial, use our urgent intake form.