How to Conduct Witness Interviews for Court Cases by Private Investigators
Private investigators should be equipped with enough research resources, interviewing skills, surveillance techniques and know how to effectively collect and preserve evidence that will be used during court cases. Most people are not sure if the evidence gathered will be admissible in court, but if collected correctly, it will be.
The most significant advantage is that the evidence obtained by these private investigators is always substantial during a court session, as long as it has been acquired according to the law. The following is how we conduct witness interviews for court cases.
What Is A Witness Statement?
It is an individual’s facts, accounts, and recollection of events relating to significant issues that occurred during a dispute, criminal offense or various other situations. A witness can provide their statement according to their opinions either in writing or orally, and it must be written down and signed by the witness for it to be used as a proof of evidence in a court of law. Witness statements can be acquired by private investigators, lawyers and police officers.
Why Do We Conduct Witness Interviews?
The main reason for conducting interviews is gathering evidence from a witness, even thought some witnesses to a crime may ultimately become suspects. However, they should not be treated as suspects until such time as we feel that there is enough evidence to conclude this and we are prepared to proceed with an interrogation.
The Importance of Conducting Witness Interviews
We conduct witness interviews to take the measure of the witness. The most crucial issues of a conversation are demeanor, surrounding behavior and credibility. Because we have the experience in this field, we can ascertain when a witness is not telling the truth by continually questioning then in different ways and keeping our mind on the crucial issues.
The interview process.
Preparation
Before interviewing a witness;
- Thoroughly review the information already acquired
- Determine the additional information that you want to gather
- Prepare relevant questions in advance
Record an interview
During the day of an interview, take detailed notes and also make a digital recording
Acquire a signed statement
After questioning the witness, it is usual to ask the witness to offer a signed statement. If the witness agrees, make a documented statement basing notes and the information provided by the witness. The report should include; the witness contact information, employment information and the location of where the statement was offered, etc.
Our statement will indicate that the witness provided the information out of their own will. It is considering that under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedom, a witness has the right to counsel and right to silence.
