Private Investigator Exam Guide 4

Question 1

What is the legal concept of 'reasonable expectation of privacy'?

Accepted Answer

A standard determining whether a person has a legally recognized privacy interest in a given location or situation

Answer

The reasonable expectation of privacy standard, from Katz v. United States, determines when surveillance or observation may constitute a privacy violation.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of a permissible use of a GPS tracker by a private investigator?

Accepted Answer

Placing a tracker on a client's own vehicle to monitor an employee using it

Answer

A vehicle owner generally has the right to track their own property; thus, a client may authorize tracking of company vehicles used by employees.

Question 3

In most U.S. states, recording a phone call without at least one party's consent is:

Accepted Answer

A potential violation of state wiretapping laws

Answer

Many states require at least one-party consent to record calls, and some require all-party consent; violating these laws can result in criminal charges.

Question 4

What is 'chain of custody' and why does it matter to a PI?

Accepted Answer

The documented, unbroken record of who handled evidence and when, ensuring its integrity

Answer

Maintaining chain of custody ensures that evidence is not tampered with, preserving its admissibility and credibility in legal proceedings.

Question 5

What is the primary difference between a civil and criminal PI investigation?

Accepted Answer

Civil investigations support private legal disputes; criminal investigations support prosecution by the state

Answer

Civil investigations gather evidence for private lawsuits, while criminal investigations support law enforcement prosecution of offenses against the state.

Private Investigator Exam Practice Test

Private Investigator Exam Practice Test

Private Investigator Exam Guide 4