Practical brief for Florida litigators and paralegals.
A case can stall for months because one person cannot be found. The defendant has moved, the address in the complaint is stale, or the witness who saw everything changed phones and jobs. When you need to locate a defendant in Florida or track down a witness before a deposition or trial, a licensed investigator can do what a free search site cannot: verify a current location and document how it was found.
Have a defendant to serve or a witness you can’t reach?
Call (321) 340-3280 to talk it through with a licensed investigator. We discuss rates by phone and can usually start quickly. Prefer to write? Use our case request form.
Why database results alone fail
Data aggregators are a starting point, not an answer. They often list several “current” addresses, mix up people with similar names, and lag months behind real moves. Sending a process server to five addresses burns time and money. Telling a judge you “searched online” will not satisfy a diligent search requirement.
A professional locate combines records research with verification, so you get one confirmed location, or a documented trail showing every reasonable step taken.
What a Florida skip trace actually involves
Records research
- Licensed investigative databases with permissible-purpose access.
- County official records: deeds, mortgages and recent property transfers.
- Florida Division of Corporations filings showing current business addresses and roles.
- Civil, criminal, family and traffic court records that often contain newer addresses.
- Professional and occupational license records.
- Voter registration and other public records where lawfully available.
Open-source research
Public social media, employer pages, business listings and online activity frequently point to a current city, workplace or routine.
Field verification
When the records point to a likely address, an investigator can confirm it in person: vehicles registered to the subject, lawful observation of comings and goings, or a pretext-free neighborhood canvass. This is where a locate becomes reliable enough to act on. Our skip tracing and hard-to-find parties page covers the full service.
Legal boundaries for locates
A locate is only useful if it was done lawfully. The rules that matter most:
- Chapter 493, Florida Statutes. Locating persons for hire is private investigation in Florida and requires a license. MAYN Investigations is a licensed and insured agency (Florida license A3400126). See our guide to Chapter 493 licensing.
- DPPA. Motor vehicle record information can be used only for a permissible purpose, which includes use in connection with civil, criminal and administrative proceedings, including service of process.
- GLBA. Obtaining financial account information by pretexting is prohibited, so we do not call banks posing as anyone.
- Florida recording law. Private conversations are not recorded without all-party consent under Chapter 934.
- Florida Bar rules. Investigators acting for counsel are subject to the attorney’s supervision under Rule 4-5.3, and represented persons are not contacted about the matter in violation of Rule 4-4.2. More in our Rule 4-5.3 guide.
Locating defendants for service of process
Most locate requests from Florida litigators start with service. Personal service under Chapter 48 needs a real address and a realistic time to find the person there. Once we confirm a location, service is completed by the sheriff, a certified process server or a court-appointed special process server, as Florida law allows. We can coordinate with your server and pass along schedule and vehicle details that make the first attempt count. See our process service support page.
Diligent search for constructive service
When a defendant truly cannot be found, Chapter 49 allows constructive service by publication in certain actions. That requires a sworn statement showing a diligent search and inquiry to discover the person’s residence. Courts look closely at that showing, and a thin search can leave a judgment open to attack.
A documented investigative search gives counsel a detailed record of every source checked, the dates and the results to support the affidavit. Whether that record is sufficient is for counsel and the court, but it is far stronger than a single database printout.
Locating witnesses for litigation
Witness locates are different. The goal is usually not just an address but a conversation. Once a witness is located, we can arrange an interview and, when counsel wants it, a recorded or sworn statement with consent. Former employees, bystanders, prior tenants and people named only by a first name in a police report are common assignments. Learn more on our witness locates and witness interviews pages.
What to send us to start a locate
The more identifiers, the faster and cheaper the locate. Helpful details include:
- Full name, any aliases or maiden names, and date of birth or approximate age.
- Last known addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
- Known employers, vehicles, relatives or associates.
- Prior service attempts and their results.
- The case posture, the county and your deadline.
Even a name and a last-known city can be enough to begin. We will tell you what is realistic during the first call. For wider support across a case, see our investigative services for attorneys and litigation support.
FAQ: locating defendants and witnesses in Florida
Can a PI serve the papers too?
A private investigator license does not by itself authorize service of process in Florida. Service is performed by the sheriff, a certified process server or a special process server. We locate and verify, then coordinate with whoever will serve.
Can you find someone who left Florida?
Yes. Records research is national, and we can coordinate verification in other states where needed.
Will the person know they are being located?
Locates are conducted discreetly. We do not contact the subject unless counsel directs it and it is appropriate under the rules that apply.
Can your search support a diligent search affidavit?
We document every source checked, with dates and results, so counsel has a detailed record to support the sworn statement. Sufficiency is ultimately decided by the court.
How quickly can you start?
Usually fast. Call (321) 340-3280 with the name, the last known information and your deadline.
Need someone found for your case?
Call (321) 340-3280 with the matter, the county and your deadline. We will tell you what is realistic, what it costs and how fast we can start. Rates are discussed by phone. You can also send a case request and we will get back to you.
MAYN Investigations is a licensed and insured Florida private investigation agency working statewide for law firms and businesses. Follow us on Instagram at @mayninvestigations for short briefs on Florida investigations, and browse more investigation insights for attorneys.
This article is general information for attorneys and legal professionals. It is not legal advice, and decisions about discovery, admissibility and compliance belong to counsel.
