Your children mean the world to you. So child custody disputes are sad, anxiety-producing, gut-wrenching, and expensive. Depending on the case, evidence of what is actually happening to your kids when the other parent has custody and/or visitation is almost impossible to obtain.
Why? Because you, the children, and the other parent all have self-interest. A court, usually reluctantly, is being asked to decide the children’s best interests. Objective evidence and testimony are often in short supply.
A licensed Miami private investigator can provide that objective evidence. We use surveillance, interviewing, electronic means, and Internet techniques to put the other parent’s life under a microscope. We have experience. And, most importantly to the Court, we do not have a dog in the hunt.
Observe the other parent, nanny, or babysitter anonymously, using surveillance techniques
Watch the other parent’s associates anonymously
Record the other parent’s treatment of the children
Investigate the other parent’s income-producing activities, job, and/or business
Search out the other parent’s financial behavior
Investigate any possible criminal activity, drug/alcohol abuse, and patterns of conduct
Profile the other parent’s stability, lifestyle, and schedules
Trace your children, in abduction or abandonment cases
Florida law frames these cases around time-sharing and parenting plans rather than the older language of “custody,” and the guiding standard is the best interests of the child. Florida Statute 61.13 lays out a list of factors a judge weighs when deciding time-sharing — things like each parent’s capacity to provide a consistent routine, the moral fitness of the parents, evidence of substance abuse, the mental and physical health of each parent, and each parent’s demonstrated willingness to actually honor the schedule the court sets.
Those factors are exactly where an investigator becomes valuable. A judge cannot take your word for it, and the other parent’s account will naturally contradict yours. What moves the needle is documentation: dated, time-stamped, gathered lawfully by a neutral third party with no stake in the outcome.
Every case is different, but custody and time-sharing investigations tend to center on a handful of recurring concerns:
Supervision and daily care. Is your child being left alone? Picked up on time? Fed, clean, and appropriately dressed for the weather? Patterns of small neglect often matter more to a court than any single dramatic incident, because patterns are what predict the future.
Substance use. Documented drinking or drug use during time-sharing hours, driving with your child after drinking, or associates who bring substances into the home.
Who else is in the household. Courts care about undisclosed live-in partners, roommates with criminal histories, and anyone with regular unsupervised access to your child that you were never told about.
Living conditions. Whether the residence is safe and habitable, whether your child has a real place to sleep, and whether the neighborhood or home environment presents obvious hazards.
Compliance with existing orders. If a parenting plan or supervised visitation order is already in place, we can document whether it is actually being followed — exchanges happening on time, at the right location, with the right people present.
Relocation and concealment. When a parent moves without notice, withholds a child, or you suspect an out-of-state or out-of-country departure is being planned.
Confidential intake. Every case starts with a private, no-obligation conversation. We’ll want names and dates of birth, current and prior addresses, schools and daycare, work schedules, vehicle descriptions, existing court orders, and any documentation you already have — texts, photos, police reports, prior filings. We then talk honestly about what’s realistically obtainable, what it’s likely to cost, and which approach gives you the most useful evidence for the money.
Surveillance. This is the core of most custody work. Our Miami investigators observe from public vantage points, without contact or confrontation, documenting what actually happens during the other parent’s time. That means time-stamped photographs, continuous video where warranted, and detailed written logs establishing a timeline. Where a subject’s schedule demands it, we run multiple investigators to maintain coverage without being noticed.
Records and background research. Criminal history, arrest records, driving and DUI records, prior protective orders, employment verification, and property records — anything lawfully accessible that speaks to stability, fitness, or honesty. We source and cite everything so it holds up on paper.
Interviews. Neighbors, teachers, daycare staff, and sitters frequently know more than anyone expects. We approach them discreetly and respectfully, and where a statement matters, we document it properly.
Digital and open-source investigation. Public social media activity often contradicts what a parent has told the court. We review publicly available posts, photos, and check-ins, and preserve relevant material with its metadata intact so it’s usable later. We do not access private accounts, and we don’t need to — when something requires a subpoena, we tell your attorney rather than cutting corners.
Documentation built for court. Everything comes back to you as an organized report: a plain-language summary of findings, a chronological timeline with sources and timestamps, and the underlying photos, video, logs, and records. Your attorney should be able to hand it to a judge without translation.
If your child custody case is already in progress, we work with your attorney, your psychologist, and/or your accountant. If your case has not been filed yet, we can investigate what is really going on while your children are with the other parent. Frequently it is not what you think.
And often the best evidence we can get for you is MOST obtainable before the divorce and/or custody case is filed. Once papers are served, behavior changes. People become careful, they clean up their routines, and the ordinary patterns that would have told a judge the most simply stop happening. Getting an investigator involved early is frequently the difference between a case built on documentation and a case built on accusations.
Being clear about limits protects your case as much as anything we affirmatively do. We do not trespass. We do not record conversations unlawfully — Florida is an all-party consent state, meaning recording a private conversation without everyone’s agreement is a crime, and evidence gathered that way can sink your credibility along with your case. We do not access private accounts, devices, or protected records without proper legal authorization. We do not approach or interact with your children. And we do not confront the other parent.
Investigators who cut corners create evidence that gets thrown out and clients who end up on the wrong side of a judge. Ours doesn’t.
Custody investigations vary widely in scope. A targeted surveillance effort focused on a specific recurring window — weekend exchanges, weekday pickups — may produce what you need within days. Building a broader pattern across several weeks, or combining surveillance with records work and interviews, costs more and takes longer.
What drives cost: hours of surveillance, number of investigators required, travel, records retrieval, and report preparation. We give you a straight estimate up front and can structure the work in phases so you’re never spending ahead of what the case actually needs.
Can a private investigator in Miami help with a custody case in Florida? Yes. The Night Owl’s Licensed Miami investigators routinely provide surveillance, background research, interviews, and open-source digital investigation in time-sharing and custody matters throughout the entire state.
Will my investigator testify? Investigators can provide sworn affidavits and testify to what they personally observed and how the evidence was collected. Coordinate expectations with your attorney early.
Is surveillance legal in a custody case? Yes, when conducted from public or otherwise lawful vantage points. It becomes a problem when it involves trespass or unlawful recording — which is precisely why the “how” matters as much as the “what.”
Will the other parent find out? Discretion is the entire point. Our investigators work to remain unnoticed, and case information is shared only with you and anyone you authorize.
How fast can you start? We can often deploy quickly, and we prioritize situations involving a child’s immediate safety.
We are here to assist and guide you through this emotional time. We believe the safety and well being of your child should come above all and are ready to help. Call Text or Email to begin an investigation and finally get the peace of mind you deserve.
Serving the entire state of Florida.
Our agents are on standby 24/7 to provide you with a detailed, comprehensive strategy for all your investigative needs.
Once retained, our investigators will be thoroughly briefed on all the details related to your case.
Our highly skilled agents will handle your matter from start to finish with the utmost professionalism while remaining 100% discreet.
At the conclusion of your case and after thorough review, our team will steer you in the right direction whether it be legal or non-legal.
