Quiz: Do you know TV Det. Columbo's first name?

Not sure if I'd bother with the P.I. so early, however I really like your thinking.

My experience in hiring experts is that people like process servers, really good ones, are incredxibly effective and efficient at what they do. I find using my attorney for servicing 3-day notices a smart bargain.

Anyone who is a long-time member of this forum will likely remember my posts of several years ago where I discussed the cost-effective use of P.I.'s and what a bargain they can be...and how you can throw an awful lot of dough down the drain if you don't have an effective plan and written mission and budget limits.

I've learned to break down the information gathering into several sections, including: Desktop skip-tracing, door knocking, field research, stakeouts and security, such as when I have to breach a locked door and enter into a building. At $50-100/hour, a P.I. may not be necessary or may be overkill for the job. Many process servers are wannabe P.I.'s anyway and will know plenty of things that are street smart.

A funny thing happened happended to me several weeks ago: A process server knocked at my door and recognized that he had served me before on another matter. What was odd was that he was serving me on my own case! Somehow, the due-diligence team decided that the defendants lived at my house. I assured him that, no, they didn't live with me and that I was the guy paying his bill.

BTW, Peter Falk's iconic character, Detective Columbo, did have a first name in the series: John.

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