Witness Interviews & statements

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In legal proceedings, the outcome of both civil and criminal cases frequently hinges on the content of initial witness interviews, proving pivotal in either bolstering or undermining a case. Witnesses are typically identified through documentation such as crash reports, criminal investigation reports, or incident reports. Occasionally, witnesses may not be identified until an investigator conducts on-site visits to the scene of an incident, involving methods such as door-knocking and inquiries at local establishments. This proactive approach may reveal individuals with pertinent knowledge who were previously unidentified. Establishing contact with witnesses may necessitate multiple attempts, involving personal visits, phone calls, or leaving business cards.

At Precision Legal, our extensive experience in West Virginia encompasses daily interactions with individuals involved in diverse case scenarios. Delegating the task of witness interaction to administrative staff may compromise the critical nature of this responsibility. An investigator often has only one opportunity to engage with a witness, making it imperative to entrust this task to a seasoned professional who has conducted numerous interviews and obtained thorough telephone statements.

It is crucial for the hired investigator to possess an understanding of the appropriate instances for recording witness statements, as opposed to simply documenting information for later transfer to the retaining attorney. In West Virginia, being a one-party consent state, investigators should exhibit legal acumen in formulating intelligent and pertinent questions. The information gathered during investigations serves as the basis for discovery inquiries and aids in preparing questions for depositions involving both plaintiffs and defendants.

Attorneys are advised to mitigate the risk of becoming witnesses in their own cases by retaining an expert investigator capable of extracting necessary information, presenting it in a comprehensive report, and offering testimony as required. Our track record includes testimony at various court levels, including federal court, circuit court, magistrate court, and various administrative venues. Precision Legal is frequently engaged by plaintiff and defense attorneys, corporations, and government agencies to conduct thorough investigations and witness interviews.