There are a couple of important reasons to utilize a professional investigator. First, for impeachment purposes: if you conduct your own witness interviews in preparation for trial and a witness provides a conflicting account during testimony, you cannot personally use your prior conversations to impeach that witness. However, your investigator can do so, which positions both you and your client for a stronger likelihood of success.

Second, retaining an investigator can help protect against claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. The Michigan Supreme Court has held that an attorney may be found ineffective for failing to use an investigator, even when funding was available to do so.