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What is E-Discovery? Electronic discovery (also e-discovery or ediscovery ) refers to discovery in legal proceedings such as litigation, government investigations, or Freedom of Information Act requests, where the information sought is in electronic format. This if often referred to as electronically stored information or ESI. Why should I hire a professional? E-discovery is subject to rules of civil procedure and agreed-upon processes, often involving review for privi

A leader in the industry, Wes Bearden (CEO of Bearden Investigative Agency and President of NCISS, National Council of Investigation & Security Services ) can frequently be found hosting CE sessions at conferences nationwide. Today, he is pleased to be attending the 50th Anniversary TALI (Texas Association of Licensed Investigators) Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Today’s topic: Courtroom Testimony https://vimeo.com/592931530?fl=pl&fe=cm

MEET ANTHONY HEGG DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS, Bearden Investigative Agency August 24, 2021 Anthony Hegg joined Bearden Investigative Agency in 2021 and serves as Director of Investigations. With extensive experience in luxury retail and operations management services, Mr. Hegg is an experienced and autonomous leader. Throughout his 20+ year career in retail loss prevention & asset protection, investigation, covert surveillance, and security, Anthony Hegg has developed a compr

NEED A CLE? Check out the recent published Lawline CLE from Wes Bearden , CEO of Bearden Investigative Agency. “If You Try Sometimes, You Can Get What You Need: How to Draft Effective FOIA Requests” Earning 4.9 stars and exceptional reviews like the following… “Very practical discussion. Recommended.” Christopher M. Jun 22, 2021 “Really knows his stuff. Very helpful.” Jeffrey N. Jun 8, 2021 “Very informative and practical” Jared S. Jun 3, 2021 CLE – If You Try Sometimes, Yo

NEED A CLE? Check out the recent published Lawline CLE from Wes Bearden , CEO of Bearden Investigative Agency. “Understanding the Legal Implications of Surveillance, Social Media & Spying.” Lawline CLE: Understanding the Legal Implications of Surveillance, Social Media & Spying Earning 4.9 stars and exceptional reviews like the following… “One of the best I have viewed in a long time. very informative and helpful. I would definitely recommend.” Jonathan S. Jun 6, 2021 “Gr

The third installment in our Family Law investigations series discusses the importance of enlisting a licensed investigator to provide admissible evidence to prove infidelity in divorce proceedings. Whether you are an attorney representing clients or you are someone who is representing themselves in family court, the attorney led agents at Bearden Investigative Agency are here to help. Is There Proof of Adultery? If your spouse is cheating on you, your primary goal will be p

Everyone knows how crucial security is and how it must be embedded into everything an organization does. However, oftentimes business interests, facilities, staff, and assets are easily mismanaged simply due to a lack of knowledge or expertise in the security field. Many companies hire outside vendors to address security needs and some choose to address this internally. No matter how your security needs are addressed, you will benefit from a professional security assessment f

The second installment in our Family Law Investigations series discusses the importance of enlisting a licensed private investigator to perform asset searches as it relates to division of property and Child Support determination. Whether you are an attorney representing clients or you are someone who is representing themselves in family court, the attorney led agents at Bearden Investigative Agency are here to help. PART II: ASSET SEARCH & CHILD SUPPORT You were able to nego

Family law matters can be among the most difficult and delicate to navigate. Emotions tend to run high. Unresolved conflicts can play out as parties use their intimate knowledge of their partners to manipulate, hurt, or control. The breakdown of relationships often results in a loss of trust which makes resolving legal matters more challenging. Add to that the influence of a potential third party (new partner, friend or intrusive family member), and family law matters can be

Bugs hide in the shadows and darkness waiting to strike fear and horror in their victims this Halloween…. but there’s no need to be frightened! While the bugs we eradicate are not of the creepy crawly nature, they are equally if not more disturbing for those needing this specialized type of “pest” control. Bugs are listening devices that can be easily hidden inside rooms, cars, and people’s clothing. Bugs, video cameras, and tracking devices are usually very small and almost

Compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires companies to designate a Data Protection Officer if certain conditions apply to such entities. Bearden Investigative Agency offers outsourced GDPR Data Protection Officer services as well as privacy law compliance services to companies looking for experienced, well-trained, attorney managed personnel who will perform such duties at a fraction of the cost of a full-time officer. Do you need a Data Protect

For years, mobile forensics (cell phone data extraction) has been something only found available to law enforcement agents. Due to the increased demand for mobile forensics, Bearden Investigative Agency has partnered with Black Swan digital forensics to perform this highly valuable service for our clients. Our skilled agents have the experience needed to extract, preserve and analyze data from mobile devices. We utilize specialized techniques with advanced tools and equipm

The Freedom of Information Act was designed to provide a way for private citizens to inspect or copy government records or public records. “Public information” covers a very broad range of information. It refers to information collected, assembled, or maintained by or for a government body; if it owns or has rights of access to that information. The intent of the law outlines that taxpayers should be able to see any information that is used by people acting on the public’s be

It is almost impossible to overstate the complexity of healthcare compliance and risk management. The relentless laws, rules, regulations and standards that apply to healthcare organizations and healthcare providers can be overwhelming. Healthcare organizations and providers are not only required to comply with the Medicare rules and regulations, but they are also required to comply with numerous other federal and state healthcare laws, rules and regulations. Government ove

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be a private investigator, read this recent “A Day in the Life of a Private Investigator” journal entry from Bearden Investigative Agency PI, Javier.

Companies are starting to enlist the help of private investigators to monitor employees while working from home. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and mandatory quarantine, thousands of companies have been forced to allow their employees to work from home. Over time, companies have started questioning if some workers were meeting standard expectations or just using this time away as an unofficial vacation. Private investigators have seen a recent uptick in surveillance work surro

You’ve been served a subpoena…now what?! For starters, resist the temptation to ignore or throw it away. Subpoenas are court orders. Ignoring or dodging a subpoena is a crime – one that can result in jail time or fines, and is reflected on your criminal record. If you are served a subpoena, you must comply. Often, subpoenas request documents to be procured and handed over in some form, usually as hard copies on paper or as electronic copies, within a specific time frame. In o

PI Magazine May/June 2020 Article: Legislative Update, Our Brave New World… By: Wes Bearden, NCISS Investigations Legislative Chair

Remote Online Notary (RON) Services were approved for use in Texas on January 1, 2020 and Bearden Investigative Agency immediately took advantage of this unique opportunity. Offering Remote Online Notary services allows us to provide notarization using online means and from remote locations. This is an excellent service for people during a crisis where social distancing is required and in-person notarization is not possible. Offering Remote Online Notary services is an added

During a time when our Nation continues to practice social distancing in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, investigators at Bearden Investigative Agency work diligently to continue the level of service and experience their global clients have come to expect and appreciate since 1972. A particular investigative tool that has been proving extremely fruitful during this time is in the collection of curbside evidence. After all, “One man’s trash is another man’s…evidence