Hiring Private Investigators for your Colorado Divorce
When might you need a private investigator if you’re going through a divorce? We’ve probably all seen some show or movie where a private investigator is working behind the scenes to uncover some hidden secrets about a husband or wife. It might be dramatized for Hollywood or late-night TV but in reality hiring a private eye is sometimes an option, although this is rare.
Private investigators can be helpful in real divorces, though the outcomes are usually not as dramatic. However, real PIs need to follow much stricter laws than any movie detective. Here’s how private investigators work, what they can and can’t do, and how they may be able to help you during your divorce.
Private investigators, or PIs, generally are hired for missing persons, criminal investigations, that sort of thing. Remember, Colorado is a no fault state, so a private investigator isn’t going to go find out if you have a girlfriend or your spouse has a boyfriend or whatever. Nobody cares who you’re sleeping with, least of all the judge. We certainly don’t care. But although Colorado is a no-fault state, there is an exception to the general rule that PIs are not necessary.
Economic Fault in Divorce Cases
What is Economic Fault?
Economic fault, when talking about divorce, could be the following. What if your spouse is taking his mistress or manstress to the Maldives on a first-class, five-star vacation and spending the kid’s college fund to do so. This would be considered economic fault. It certainly might be a waste of money, but at any rate, it’s something to bring up in a divorce.
Although most divorces in Colorado and throughout the country are do through no-fault, where one spouse can simply claim that an irrevocable breakdown of the marriage has occurred, economic fault is sometimes necessary. If you don’t know what’s going on, but you suspect something is going on, then it might be time to hire a private investigator.
Private Investigators during Property Division
The other reason you might want to hire a private investigator is to make sure that your spouse’s financial disclosures are verified. This is important when considering Asset and Property Division. In Colorado, in order to approve a settlement, or to make a decision at trial, both parties have to be completely transparent with their financial situation and their disclosures. If you suspect cash is missing, accounts have been liquidated, money’s been wired to a crypto wallet, you may need to see if it’s missing. If your spouse won’t disclose where the money went, you might need to hire a private investigator to trace it.
We’re Here To Help
If you’re wondering why or if you need a private investigator in your divorce or you’re contemplating divorce and assets are missing, give us a call here at The Drake Law Firm. We’ll talk it through with you. We’ll get you a strategy and make sure you have a path forward whether or not you need a PI. Give us a call now.
