Frequently asked questions

No. An investigator can guarantee professional effort, lawful methods, documentation, and communication, but cannot guarantee what an investigation will uncover. Ethical investigators do not promise a particular finding or legal outcome.

A private investigator gathers and documents facts through lawful methods such as surveillance, public-record research, interviews, field investigation, digital examination, and evidence review. The exact approach depends on the situation and the information the client needs.

Law-enforcement agencies investigate suspected crimes and exercise powers granted by the government. Private investigators work for clients and do not have general arrest authority or police powers. They gather facts for personal, civil, criminal-defense, insurance, and business matters using lawful investigative methods.

It is generally best to contact an investigator before the situation changes or the subject becomes aware of your concerns. You do not need to have proof before calling. An initial conversation can help determine whether the matter is appropriate for investigation and whether acting now would be useful.

Private investigators work with individuals, families, attorneys, insurance companies, businesses, employers, and other professionals. Clients may need help with a personal concern, pending litigation, suspected fraud, employee misconduct, process service, digital evidence, or another matter requiring independent documentation.

We gather facts, lawfully and carefully — through observation, records research, interviews, and field investigation. The deliverable is documentation: a written report, supporting photos or video, and the kind of detail your decisions or your attorney’s case can be built on.

Yes — private investigators in South Carolina are regulated by SLED (the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division). Anyone offering investigative services in SC should be licensed; ask any investigator you talk to for their license information.

Investigators can conduct surveillance from public spaces, research public records, interview willing witnesses, and use a wide range of lawful investigative techniques. We do not access private accounts, install spyware, intercept communications, or take any action that would violate state or federal law.

Police investigate crimes; we investigate facts. We don’t have arrest authority and we don’t replace law enforcement. We do work that civilians, attorneys, and businesses need done — often work that law enforcement isn’t suited to, isn’t authorized to, or simply doesn’t have the bandwidth to do.

You do not need to identify the precise service before contacting us. Explain what is happening, what you need to learn or document, where the activity is taking place, and whether an attorney or other professional is involved. We can then discuss what type of investigation may fit the situation.

Information shared during a consultation is treated discreetly. However, communication with a private investigator is not automatically protected by attorney-client privilege. When privilege is important, an attorney may choose to retain the investigator as part of the legal team.

We listen to the circumstances, ask questions about your objectives, review relevant timing and location information, and explain what may or may not be possible. When an investigation appears appropriate, we discuss the potential scope, budget, and next steps. You tell us what’s going on; we ask the questions that help us understand whether and how investigation can help. By the end, you should have a sense of what’s possible, what it might cost, and whether moving forward makes sense.

The consultation is an opportunity to understand your options. You can decide whether to proceed after the potential scope, limitations, timing, and cost have been explained.

Helpful information may include the subject’s full name, photograph, address, vehicle information, known schedule, relevant dates, court documents, prior reports, and a concise description of what you need to establish. Do not obtain information illegally or confront the subject merely to gather materials.

Initial consultations are typically free for a defined window. For complex matters that require a longer review of documents or strategy, we’ll be transparent about any consultation fee before we start.

Many investigations can begin within 24-48 hours of the consultation. Time-sensitive matters can often start sooner — tell us at intake if there’s a deadline.

Depending on the case, additional costs may include mileage, travel, lodging, database fees, public-record fees, equipment, media, court appearances, rush work, or outside specialists. The agreement should identify which expenses may apply.

Existing clients may use the website’s Pay Online function for authorized retainers or invoices. Clients should confirm the correct case, amount, and payment instructions before submitting funds.

Many investigative assignments are billed hourly. Defined services such as certain background checks or process-service assignments may be priced differently. The applicable structure should be explained before the work begins.

No. A retainer pays for the professional work performed and approved case expenses. It does not purchase a guaranteed finding, successful service, recovery of deleted information, or favorable legal outcome.

The cost depends on the service, investigator time, travel, surveillance duration, number of investigators, research fees, equipment, urgency, reporting requirements, and possible court involvement. A reliable estimate requires understanding the facts and goals of the assignment.

A retainer provides funds against which investigator time, travel, research, equipment, and other approved costs can be applied. The agreement should explain the amount, billing practices, and what happens if additional work is recommended.

The client should receive a written explanation of the planned scope, billing arrangement, and expected budget before substantive work begins. If the scope needs to expand, the investigator should discuss the reason and obtain authorization.

It varies. Some matters resolve with a few hours of records work; others involve multiple days of surveillance over weeks. After the consultation, you receive a written scope and budget — there are no surprise bills.

Most investigative work is hourly with an estimated range. Some defined services — process service, certain background checks — are flat-fee. We’ll tell you which structure applies before any work begins.

Investigator time, vehicle and equipment costs where applicable, records access fees, and a written report. Specifics depend on the engagement.

We can discuss payment arrangements at intake. For most engagements, a retainer is paid up front and applied against work performed.

Not necessarily. A private investigator does not create attorney-client privilege merely by speaking with a client. An attorney may retain an investigator when legal privilege or work-product protection is important.

Yes. Tell the team whether phone, email, or text is safest and whether there are specific times when contact should be avoided. The website form should allow clients to select their preferred method.

The answer depends on the circumstances, applicable law, contractual obligations, court orders, subpoenas, and whether an attorney retained the agency. Questions involving disclosure should be reviewed with counsel.

Case information should be limited to personnel working on or administering the assignment and stored using appropriate security practices. Reports and sensitive materials should be delivered through the approved secure method.

Retaining an investigator does not, by itself, create a public record. Information may become part of a court proceeding, legal filing, discovery request, insurance file, employment process, or other authorized use depending on the matter.

Stillinger does not ordinarily disclose the client’s identity to the subject. However, no investigator can promise that surveillance will never be noticed or that the existence of an investigation will never become relevant in litigation. Discretion is foundational to our work. You decide whether and when the existence of the investigation is shared.

Highly. Communications are handled through secure channels, case information is restricted to the team working the matter, and we don’t discuss client matters publicly or with third parties.

Case files are stored securely. Reports are delivered through encrypted channels or in person, depending on your preference.

Recording laws vary based on the method, participants, location, and jurisdiction. Stillinger should not intercept or record communications without confirming that the method is lawful.

Not without appropriate legal authority or valid consent. Possessing a person’s password or physical access to a device does not necessarily create lawful authority to examine it.

No. Vehicle tracking requires an appropriate lawful basis, which may depend on ownership, consent, possession, jurisdiction, and the circumstances. The facts must be reviewed before any tracking technology is considered.

Private investigators do not have general police authority merely because they are licensed investigators. Their role is to gather and document information, not to act as law enforcement.

Yes. Individuals and organizations may retain a properly licensed investigator for lawful purposes. The investigator must comply with applicable privacy, surveillance, trespass, recording, access, and licensing laws.

An investigator may conduct surveillance from lawful vantage points, research available records, interview willing individuals, document activity, locate people, review authorized evidence, and perform other lawful investigative work relevant to the assignment.

An investigator cannot trespass, unlawfully intercept communications, hack private accounts, impersonate law enforcement, access protected records without authorization, or use methods prohibited by state or federal law.

Yes, when those periods are relevant to the assignment and the agreed scope. Investigator availability, safety, location, and urgency may affect scheduling.

Planning is based on the client’s information, known routines, relevant dates, likely activity windows, location, and investigative objective. Accurate information can reduce unproductive time.

Some assignments involve a targeted block of time. Others require repeated coverage to establish a pattern. Duration depends on the objective, subject’s schedule, location, budget, and whether meaningful activity occurs. A targeted activity check might be a few hours; a pattern-of-life investigation often runs full days or evenings, sometimes across multiple weeks.

The investigator may disengage or adjust the plan to protect the assignment and avoid escalation. No responsible investigator can guarantee that surveillance will never be detected.

Multiple investigators may be useful when there are several exits, difficult traffic conditions, frequent vehicle changes, high-risk movement, public transportation, or a significant risk of losing the subject. Any recommendation should be explained before additional personnel are assigned.

The communication schedule should be agreed upon at the beginning of the assignment. Updates may be provided during active work when appropriate, followed by more complete reporting after the investigator has organized the findings.

Surveillance from public spaces or lawful vantage points is legal in South Carolina. We don’t trespass, intercept private communications, or use methods that would violate state or federal law.

Factual corrections or supplemental findings can be documented when appropriate. Original reports and evidence should not be altered in a way that obscures the investigative record.

A professionally prepared report may be useful to a client or attorney, but admissibility is determined by the applicable rules, facts, objections, and court. Investigators should not promise that a particular item will be admitted.

An investigator may testify about work personally performed, observations made, records obtained, interviews conducted, evidence handled, and the methods used. Testimony requirements and fees should be coordinated in advance.

Chain of custody is the documented history of how evidence was collected, handled, transferred, stored, examined, and produced. Careful documentation helps establish that evidence has not been improperly altered or substituted.

Depending on the assignment, deliverables may include a written narrative, timestamped activity log, photographs, video, research findings, interview documentation, records, maps, or other materials identified in the engagement.

A written narrative summary, a timestamped activity log, and supporting photo or video documentation. Reports are organized so an attorney — or you — can find what matters quickly.

Reports are delivered through encrypted channels, in person, or directly to your attorney — your preference.

Travel-related charges may apply when an assignment requires significant mileage, lodging, flights, tolls, parking, or extended deployment. These expenses should be discussed before the work is authorized.

Yes. Rural assignments may require additional travel, planning, local research, or longer deployment times. Travel expectations should be included in the approved scope.

The agency states that it is licensed in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. The specific investigator, assignment location, and applicable licensing requirements should be confirmed before work begins.

Stillinger serves clients throughout South Carolina, with primary market coverage around Columbia, Lexington, Charleston, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill, and surrounding communities.

Yes — within reason and with travel costs included in the scope where it applies. Multi-state matters require planning around licensing, travel, evidence handling, and the laws of each jurisdiction. Stillinger may perform the work directly where authorized or coordinate with another properly licensed professional.