Legal Documents
1. Acceptance of Terms
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Emerging Investigations website located at emerginginv.com and all associated pages (collectively, the "Site"), as well as any investigative, consulting, or related services provided by Emerging Investigations, LLC ("Emerging Investigations," "we," "us," or "our").
By accessing the Site, submitting an inquiry, or entering into a service agreement with us, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must immediately discontinue use of the Site and our services.
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes are effective upon posting to the Site. Your continued use of the Site after any modification constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.
2. Services and Engagement
Nature of Services
Emerging Investigations provides licensed private investigation services in the State of Florida pursuant to Florida Statutes Chapter 493. All investigators are licensed, insured, and operate within the bounds of applicable state and federal law. Our services include, but are not limited to, surveillance, background investigations, skip tracing, fraud investigations, asset recovery, and related consulting.
No Attorney-Client Relationship
Emerging Investigations is a private investigation agency, not a law firm. Nothing on this Site, and no communication with our investigators, creates an attorney-client relationship. We do not provide legal advice. You are strongly encouraged to consult a licensed attorney regarding any legal matters related to your case.
Service Agreements
Formal investigative services require a signed written agreement ("Retainer Agreement") specifying the scope of work, fees, payment terms, and deliverables. No investigation will commence without a fully executed Retainer Agreement and receipt of any required retainer deposit. Verbal agreements, email confirmations, or online form submissions do not constitute a binding service contract.
Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years of age to use this Site or retain our services. By engaging our services, you represent that you have the legal authority to do so and that the purpose for which you seek our services is lawful under Florida and federal law.
3. Lawful Use Requirement
You agree to use this Site and our services solely for lawful purposes. You expressly represent and warrant that:
- You will not use investigative information we provide to stalk, harass, intimidate, or harm any individual.
- You will not use our services in violation of any applicable federal, state, or local law, including but not limited to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), and Florida Statutes Chapter 493.
- You will not request any investigation that would require us to engage in unlawful surveillance, trespass, wiretapping, or any other illegal activity.
- Any information provided to us regarding the subject of an investigation is accurate to the best of your knowledge.
- You have a legitimate, lawful purpose for retaining our services.
We reserve the right to decline or terminate any engagement if we reasonably believe the requested services could be used for unlawful purposes. In such cases, any retainer paid may be refunded at our sole discretion, less fees for work already performed.
4. Fees, Payment, and Refunds
Fees
Our fees are established in your individual Retainer Agreement and vary based on the nature, complexity, and geographic scope of the requested services. All fees are quoted in U.S. dollars. We reserve the right to modify our standard fee schedule at any time, but any changes will not affect fees already agreed upon in a signed Retainer Agreement.
Retainer Deposits
Most engagements require a retainer deposit paid in advance. This deposit is applied against investigative hours and expenses as they are incurred. You will be invoiced for work performed in excess of the retainer. Retainer deposits are not automatically refundable and are subject to the terms of your Retainer Agreement.
Expenses
In addition to investigative fees, you may be responsible for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred during the course of the investigation, including travel, database access fees, court record fees, and similar costs. Such expenses will be disclosed in advance where possible and itemized on invoices.
Refund Policy
Refunds of any unused retainer balance are available upon written request following the conclusion or termination of an engagement, subject to deduction of all hours worked and expenses incurred. No refunds are provided for completed work, regardless of outcome.
5. Confidentiality
Emerging Investigations treats all client information, case details, and investigation results as strictly confidential. We do not disclose client identities, case specifics, or investigation findings to any third party except:
- As authorized in writing by the client;
- As required by a valid court order, subpoena, or other legal process;
- As necessary to prevent imminent harm to any person; or
- As otherwise required by applicable law.
Clients are similarly expected to maintain the confidentiality of investigation strategies, techniques, and any proprietary methodologies disclosed to them during the course of an engagement. Disclosure of such information to the subject of an investigation or to third parties may impair the investigation and may constitute a breach of the Retainer Agreement.
6. Intellectual Property
All content on this Site — including text, graphics, logos, images, page design, and software — is the property of Emerging Investigations or its licensors and is protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from any content on this Site without our prior written consent.
Investigation reports and deliverables prepared for clients are provided for the client's personal or business use in connection with the specific matter for which they were prepared. Clients may not distribute, sell, or use such reports for any other purpose without our written consent.
7. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by Florida law, Emerging Investigations and its officers, employees, agents, and contractors shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of the Site or our services, including but not limited to loss of profits, loss of data, or loss of opportunity.
Our total liability to you for any claim arising out of or related to a specific engagement shall not exceed the total fees paid by you under the applicable Retainer Agreement.
We make no guarantee regarding the outcome of any investigation. The results of investigative work depend on facts and circumstances beyond our control. We do not guarantee that any particular result, finding, or outcome will be achieved.
8. Third-Party Links and Resources
This Site may contain links to third-party websites and resources. These links are provided for informational convenience only. We do not endorse, control, or take responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party sites. Your use of third-party sites is at your own risk and subject to those sites' terms and policies.
9. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising out of or related to these Terms or your use of the Site shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Hillsborough County, Florida.
Prior to initiating any legal proceeding, you agree to provide us written notice of the dispute and to engage in good-faith efforts to resolve the matter informally for a period of thirty (30) days.
10. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Emerging Investigations and its officers, employees, agents, and contractors from any claims, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your use of the Site or our services; (b) your breach of these Terms; (c) any false or misleading information you provided to us; or (d) your violation of any applicable law or the rights of any third party.
11. Contact Information
Questions regarding these Terms of Service may be directed to:
Emerging Investigations, LLC
1808 James Redman Pkwy, Suite 249
Plant City, Florida 33563
Phone: (813) 291-3228
FDACS Agency License No. A3100046