# WF-Private-Investigator: Case Workflow

Open-source case workflow for licensed investigators. Emphasizes legal compliance and documentation standards.

---

## Phase Overview

| Phase | Goal | Output |
|-------|------|--------|
| 1. Authorization | Client scope and legal basis confirmed | Engagement letter, scope doc |
| 2. Subject Profile | Build initial subject record | Subject registry entry |
| 3. Locate | Confirm current location / address | Location finding |
| 4. Asset Discovery | Identify subject's assets | Asset findings log |
| 5. Network Map | Chart associations | Connection map |
| 6. Deliver | Report to client | Formatted report |

---

## Phase 1 — Authorization

| Step | Action | Required |
|------|--------|----------|
| 1.1 | Document client identity and legitimate purpose | Yes |
| 1.2 | Confirm PI license is active and applicable to jurisdiction | Yes |
| 1.3 | Define scope — what may and may not be investigated | Yes |
| 1.4 | Check for restraining orders or legal constraints on contact | Yes |
| 1.5 | Open case workspace | Yes |

**Permissible vs. off-limits (open-source scope only):**

| Permitted | Not permitted |
|-----------|--------------|
| Public records, court filings | Unauthorized account access |
| Public social media content | Pretexting / false identity |
| Surveillance from public spaces | Wiretapping / recording without consent |
| Skip tracing via public databases | Accessing DMV records without legal basis |
| Interviewing willing contacts | Trespassing or covert entry |

---

## Phase 2 — Subject Profile

**Initial identifiers to collect:**

| Field | Source |
|-------|--------|
| Full legal name (incl. middle, suffix) | Client / documents provided |
| Date of birth | Client / public records |
| Last known address | Client / property records |
| Known aliases / former names | Court records, name change filings |
| Physical description | Client / public photos |
| Digital handles | Social media, domain registrations |

---

## Phase 3 — Locate

**Discovery path sequence:**

| Order | Path | Source |
|-------|------|--------|
| 1 | Property records | County assessor, grantor/grantee index |
| 2 | Voter registration | State election authority |
| 3 | Court records (recent activity) | PACER, state court search |
| 4 | Professional license | State licensing board |
| 5 | Business registrations | Secretary of State filings |
| 6 | Social media activity | Public profiles, geo-tagged posts |
| 7 | Reverse address lookup | Public aggregators |
| 8 | UCC filings | Collateral for loans → implies location |

**Null result rule:** Log every path attempted that returned no result. Null results are findings.

---

## Phase 4 — Asset Discovery

| Asset class | Discovery path |
|-------------|---------------|
| Real property | County assessor, grantor/grantee deed index |
| Vehicles | DMV (where legally accessible) |
| Business interests | SoS filings, assumed-name (DBA) records |
| Watercraft / aircraft | Coast Guard docs, FAA registry |
| UCC-secured assets | Secretary of State UCC search |
| Unclaimed property | State treasury databases |

**Concealment indicators to note:**
- Recent property transfers to family or LLC
- Business dissolution shortly before case opened
- Name change in past 2 years
- Complex trust or multi-layer LLC structure

---

## Phase 5 — Network Map

**Connection types to document:**

| Type | Discovery path |
|------|---------------|
| Family | Marriage/divorce records, court filings, social media |
| Business associates | SoS co-officers/directors, news mentions |
| Property co-owners | Deed records, title searches |
| Court co-parties | Plaintiff/defendant search |
| Social network | Public social media connections |

**Record each connection as:**
```
FROM: [subject ID]  TO: [associate subject ID]
Relationship: [type]  Strength: confirmed / probable / possible
Source: [finding ID]
```

---

## Phase 6 — Deliver

**Report must include:**

| Section | Notes |
|---------|-------|
| Methodology | Every discovery path attempted, with results and nulls |
| Findings | Timestamped, sourced, confidence rated |
| Evidence exhibits | Screenshots with capture timestamp, hash |
| Limitations | What was not checked and why |
| Legal statement | Analyst license number, compliance declaration |

**Format:** F4 (evidentiary) for legal matters; F2 (full-analysis) for client delivery.
See [`output/reports/format-catalog.md`](../output/reports/format-catalog.md).

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*See also: [`handbook/operator-queries.md`](../handbook/operator-queries.md) for discovery path queries*
