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Article written by Axis Geffen
When we marry that special someone we like to think that it will be forever; however, in Canada, the highest divorce rate is for those over the age of fifty. This trend has become so common that it’s been given the name “Grey Divorce”. The majority of us also assume that if the marriage ever does dissolve that our partner will be fair and understanding, especially after a number of years together and with the prospect of starting over at an advanced age; however, statistically speaking this is not the case and for that reason, this article discusses how PI’s assist with grey divorce investigations.
First of all, one of the biggest problems we see is that people assume that “they know” their partner and this is rarely the case. Yes, you may know the person you married but people change and no matter how much it might feel like it – these changes do not happen overnight. Often as people grow apart in their marriages they become more self-focused and in many cases, they begin to make changes to their finances, their assets and rarely do they communicate these changes to their partner. By the time the separation or divorce occurs many times, one partner has moved or hidden assets and/or the other partner is relying on outdated information.
Grey Divorce Investigation Case Example
Take for example a case in which a female learned that her husband of many years wanted a divorce. She clearly told us of his set routine: “out of the house by 4:00 am. Off to the local gym until 6:00 am. A quick breakfast until 7:00 am. Into the office by 8:00 am and out the door no later than 4:30 pm. About an hour of traffic and then off to the local gym for another hour, but then I’m not sure what he does because he doesn’t come home until 11:00 pm most nights.” In this matter, the client was sure there was little to learn about her husband as this had been his habit for many years.
The Conclusion
She was rather shocked to learn the reality: Out of the house by 4:00 am. Drive at high speed on a frequently changing route to a different city. Into a different gym chain from 5:00 am to 6:00 am. Breakfast in that city until 6:40 am, then off to a completely different job than she knew of for a 7:00 am start. (He had stopped working for the company she knew about 2 years prior. He had not mentioned it to her.)
Out at lunch to meet with some clients, back to work until 3:00 pm then a fast-paced drive with an ever-changing route to yet another city. Here he would pick a female up and then proceed to an address that was later found to be a second residence that he had acquired nearly a year and a half earlier. He would spend the remainder of the evening at this residence until about 10:00 pm and drive back to the original home to get some sleep and restart the cycle.
PI Involvement
In this matter, the investigators employed: research techniques and resources, traditional surveillance, a legal GPS tracking device, employment verification, and various online and social media monitoring. In addition, as the case unfolded, the PI conducted verification of information given to the client as well as asset searches. Financial investigation and research were conducted into companies that her spouse was found to hold stakes in. These are just a few of the things that investigators do to assist clients in going through a grey divorce.
It is always best to address all concerns (no matter how small or odd they may seem) with your legal team. There is no shame or judgment in citing changes in behaviour, oddities with assets or finances, or admitting that you just don’t know your partner anymore. Grey divorce investigations can be provided in appropriate scenaries. Your legal team is there to ensure you are treated fairly and responsibly throughout the process and that is where an investigator is at their best.