Before committing a client to expensive litigation, experienced attorneys run a pre-litigation asset search. This single step can determine whether a case is worth pursuing, whether to settle, or whether a judgment will ever be collectible.
What an Asset Search Reveals
A comprehensive asset search surfaces real property ownership across all 50 states, vehicles, watercraft, and aircraft, business interests and UCC filings, bank account indicators, and known associates who may be holding assets. It will also surface prior judgments against the target, bankruptcy history, and known address history.
Why Do It Before Filing
Attorneys who skip the pre-litigation asset search sometimes win multi-year cases only to discover the defendant has nothing collectible. Assets may have been transferred, hidden in shell companies, or placed offshore. Discovering this before filing gives you three advantages: the ability to negotiate a settlement while the defendant still has something to lose, the option to advise your client against expensive litigation on an uncollectible judgment, and the intelligence to pursue asset recovery if you do file.
How the Process Works
A professional asset search aggregates public record data across county recorders, state databases, federal court records, and corporate filings. The report is delivered with source citations for each finding. At Octo Digital Forensics, we provide comprehensive asset searches for litigation teams throughout California. Call 858-692-3306.
