Frequently Asked Questions

I provide both Private Investigation Services and Civil Process Service. Below I will try to answer some of the frequently asked questions about both services and the associated fees.  

1. What is a retainer for a private investigation case and what does it cost?   A retainer fee is effectively a deposit for the services we think will be required to accomplish your goals in a private investigation case.  Our minimum retainer is $500.00 and subject to negotiation based upon the size of the case.  The retainer fee is required prior to work being started.
2. What is your private investigation rate and what are expenses?  I have a very attractive hourly rate of $50.00 per hour and .50 per mile driven.  The additional expenses could be for rental of vehicles, special equipment and overnight travel if necessary.
3. What is your fee for serving civil process?  With a good address, I normally charge the same fee as is set out by state statute for the sheriff to serve process, 50.00 per service.  Please see # 7 below.  I do not add a mileage charge anywhere within Crawford or Sebastian Counties.  What I do different is that I attempt service the same day I receive the process.  I will execute and mail the return of service to you the same day the process is served.
4. What if I don't have a good address?  Not to worry, we will investigate as necessary to locate and serve.  We can even do surveillance if necessary.  Private Investigation rates apply for this type of service.
5. Will you file the return of service with the court and then mail a file marked copy back to me? Yes, we can do this if the case is set in Sebastian or Crawford Counties.  We charge an additional 10.00 for filing the return of service, just to offset our fuel expenses for the trip to the courthouse.
6. How do we get started?  Just go to my "Contact Me" page.  Mail the civil process and the required fee to me. I'll work on it as soon as I get it.  Please feel free to contact me by phone or email as listed on the page.  For Private Investigation cases, we will need to meet in person to discuss your needs and enter into a written contract for services as required by the Arkansas State Private Investigation Licensing Board.