Criminal Defense PI Services for Tennessee Defense Attorneys
The State has police agencies, lab analysts and months of lead time. The defense often has a lawyer, a discovery packet and a trial date. Birds Eye gives Tennessee defense counsel licensed PIs who test the State's case in the field, under counsel's direction.
- Tasks assigned and directed by defense counsel
- Witness location, interviews and scene work
- Alibi and impeachment research from lawful sources
What does the case need?
Pick the closest match and we will point you to the right next step.
What do criminal defense PI services include?
Criminal defense PI services are field and research tasks performed for a defense attorney: reviewing discovery for leads, locating and interviewing witnesses, documenting the scene, verifying an alibi, collecting records and researching the background of State witnesses. The attorney sets priorities and decides how any findings are used.
Defense Counsel Directs Every Task
Defense investigation works best when the lawyer is in charge. We take assignments from counsel, report to counsel and do not contact the client's family, the press or anyone else about the case unless counsel asks. That structure keeps the defense strategy in one place and lets the attorney decide what to write down, what to discuss orally and when.
Whether our notes and reports are protected as work product is a legal question for the attorney, and we follow whatever reporting practice they choose. Some lawyers want full written reports after each task; others prefer a phone debrief first and a written summary only when requested.
Discovery Review With a Field Eye
Discovery often holds more leads than anyone has time to chase. A PI reads it differently from a lawyer, looking for names mentioned once and never interviewed, addresses and times that do not line up, cameras noted at the scene but never collected, and officer narratives that rely on sightlines worth checking in person.
The result is a short list of follow-up tasks ranked by what they could change. Counsel picks from that list, and the list becomes the working plan.
- Witnesses named but never interviewed
- Timeline conflicts between reports and records
- Cameras or devices noted but not collected
- Physical claims that can be tested at the scene
- Gaps in the chain of custody worth raising with counsel
Locating and Interviewing Witnesses
Witnesses move, change numbers and stop answering calls, especially when a case has taken a year to reach trial. Our PIs use lawful records research and field inquiry to find them, then conduct calm, non-leading interviews. We identify ourselves as working for the defense. We never pressure, threaten or offer anything to a witness, and we never suggest what someone should say.
Any contact with an alleged victim, a represented witness or a co-defendant happens only when counsel has decided it is appropriate and lawful. Interviews are documented the way the attorney prefers, from recorded statements with consent to handwritten notes and a later summary.
Talk it through with a licensed PI
Tell us what is happening. We will explain what the work involves and put scope, timeline and cost in writing before anything starts.
Scene Documentation and Reconstruction Support
Many cases turn on what someone could see or hear from a particular spot. We visit scenes at the same time of day and, where possible, under similar lighting and weather, then document distances, obstructions, lighting sources, traffic patterns and camera locations. Photographs are taken from the positions witnesses described, not just from convenient angles.
When a case needs formal reconstruction, our measurements and images give a retained expert a documented starting point. We stay on public property or locations where we have permission to be.
Alibi Verification That Can Survive Cross-Examination
An alibi is only as strong as its weakest witness. We test it before the State does, confirming receipts, work schedules, gym check-ins, rideshare records the client can lawfully access, and the recollections of people who were present. Where businesses have video, we note retention periods so counsel can move quickly with a preservation letter or subpoena.
If an alibi does not hold, counsel needs to know that early and privately. Our reports state plainly what was confirmed, what was contradicted and what remains unverified.
Impeachment Research From Lawful Sources
Counsel often needs to know more about the people testifying for the State. We research public court records, prior sworn statements, civil filings, social media content that is publicly visible and other lawful sources that might bear on bias, motive or prior inconsistent statements.
We do not access private accounts, obtain sealed or expunged records without legal authority, or use pretexts to get phone or financial records. Anything that requires a court order is flagged for counsel to pursue through the proper process.
Defense tasks Birds Eye handles
Discovery lead list
A ranked list of follow-up tasks drawn from a field-focused reading of the discovery.
Witness locates
Lawful records research and field inquiry to find people who have moved or gone quiet.
Defense interviews
Non-leading interviews documented in the format counsel chooses.
Scene documentation
Time-matched photographs, measurements and sightline notes from witness positions.
Alibi testing
Independent checks of receipts, schedules, records and supporting witnesses.
Subpoena service
Service of defense subpoenas on witnesses and records custodians where permitted.
How a defense assignment runs
Attorney intake
Counsel shares the charges, key discovery and trial dates; we agree how findings will be reported.
Task plan
We propose prioritized tasks with costs, and counsel approves a written scope.
Fieldwork
Locates, interviews, scene work and research proceed in the order counsel sets.
Debrief and trial prep
Findings go to counsel first, and PIs are available to testify about their own work.
Defense needs and the PI work that supports them
| Defense need | PI task | Typical output |
|---|---|---|
| Challenge an identification | Sightline and lighting documentation | Photos from witness positions, measurements |
| Support an alibi | Records checks and witness interviews | Verified timeline with sources |
| Find a missing witness | Records research and field inquiry | Current contact details and interview |
| Test officer narrative | Scene visit and camera mapping | Scene report and footage source list |
| Assess State witness credibility | Public-record background research | Sourced summary for counsel |
| Secure defense evidence | Preservation leads and subpoena service | Custodian list and returns of service |
What helps us start quickly
Counsel can speed up the first week by sending the following with the assignment.
Statewide coverage from Nashville
Birds Eye supports defense counsel in criminal courts across all 95 Tennessee counties, from Davidson and Rutherford in Middle Tennessee to Knox, Hamilton and Sullivan in East Tennessee and Shelby and Madison in West Tennessee. Rural cases bring different challenges, such as fewer cameras, longer distances between witnesses and smaller communities where people talk, and our planning accounts for them. Assignments from out-of-county counsel are common.
All service areasNashvilleMemphisKnoxvilleChattanoogaProcess serving
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a defense attorney hire a private investigator before trial?
Many defense lawyers bring in a PI as early as possible, because witnesses are easier to find and scenes are closer to their original condition. Whether a case needs one, and how much, is counsel's call. Even a small assignment, such as a single scene visit or one witness interview, can clarify a disputed point.
Can a defense PI talk to the alleged victim?
Only if defense counsel decides it is appropriate and lawful in that case. Tennessee law and court orders can limit contact, and victims have rights. When counsel does authorize contact, we identify who we work for, make clear participation is voluntary and stop if the person declines.
Can the family of a defendant hire you directly?
Families often make the first call, and we are glad to talk. For the work itself, we strongly prefer to be retained by or work under the direction of the defense attorney, so findings reach the lawyer first and fit the defense strategy. We can coordinate that arrangement with counsel.
Do you work on cases with court-appointed counsel?
Yes. Appointed lawyers can request investigative funding through the court under Tennessee's procedures for indigent defense. We work within the approved scope and budget and document time the way the approval requires.
What if your work turns up something harmful to the client?
We report it to counsel, accurately and privately. Defense lawyers need the whole picture to advise their client, and bad facts discovered early are far easier to deal with than bad facts discovered at trial. What happens with that information is counsel's decision.
Will your PIs testify at trial?
They can, about work they personally performed, such as scene measurements, photographs or the fact that a witness gave a particular statement. Counsel decides whether to call them, and preparation is scheduled in advance.
Related pages
Put a PI on the defense team
Counsel can call or text (629) 310-8667 or email contact@delatorgroup.com to discuss a case and receive a written scope from Birds Eye.
Photography: Lasse Møller (Unsplash License). Last reviewed . General information, not legal advice.
