Pre-Suit Asset & Collectibility Investigations

Before you invest in a lawsuit, E3 Legacy Intel tells you whether the defendant can actually pay a judgment. Our pre-litigation asset and collectibility investigations give plaintiff firms and litigation funders a documented answer up front. As licensed investigators (FL A-1400197), we help you avoid winning a case you can never collect on.

Winning is not collecting. The most expensive case a firm can take is one it wins against a defendant with nothing to reach. We answer the collectibility question before you file, not after.

Engage an Investigation Standing Screening

Know Before You Sue

Most firms find out whether a defendant can pay only after judgment, when it is too late to change course. We move that answer to the front. Before you commit time, money, and your client's expectations, we tell you whether there are reachable assets and what recovery realistically looks like, so you sue the cases worth suing.

Whether the defendant can actually pay

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Reachable assets

Bank and brokerage indicators, real property with equity, income, and business interests that a judgment could actually reach.

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Concealment risk

Nominee holdings, shell entities, and transfers that make a defendant look judgment-proof when they are not.

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Recovery outlook

A documented view of what realistic recovery looks like, so you and your client set expectations correctly.

Decide the case on collectibility, not hope

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Plaintiff & contingency firms

Decide whether to take or file a case based on whether it can actually be collected, not just won.

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Litigation funders

Underwrite case investments with a documented collectibility assessment of the defendant.

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Corporate plaintiffs

Confirm a counterparty or defendant is worth pursuing before committing to litigation.

From Question to Collectibility Verdict

STEP 1

Define the target

You give us the prospective defendant; we scope the entities and people around them.

STEP 2

Investigate quietly

We assess assets and concealment discreetly, without tipping off the target before you file.

STEP 3

Deliver the verdict

A documented collectibility conclusion you can rely on to decide whether and how to proceed.

Stay Protected

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Standing case screening

A standing arrangement to screen prospective cases for collectibility as they come in, so your intake filters on recovery from day one.

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Portfolio underwriting

For funders and high-volume firms, batch screening and portfolio pricing to underwrite many matters efficiently.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a pre-litigation asset investigation?

It is an asset and collectibility investigation done before you file, so you know whether the defendant can actually pay a judgment. Instead of discovering after trial that there is nothing to collect, you learn up front whether the case is worth pursuing.

Why check collectibility before suing?

Because a judgment you cannot collect is an expensive trophy. Litigation costs time and money; confirming the defendant has reachable assets first protects your firm's investment and your client's expectations, and it strengthens settlement leverage.

Who uses pre-suit collectibility investigations?

Plaintiff and contingency firms deciding whether to take or file a case, and litigation funders deciding whether to back one. Both need a documented answer on whether recovery is realistic before committing capital.

Can you tell if a defendant is hiding assets?

Yes. We look past the surface for nominee holdings, shell entities, transfers, and concealed accounts, so a defendant who appears judgment-proof but is not, or who is quietly moving assets, does not fool your assessment.

How is this different from a post-judgment search?

Timing and purpose. A post-judgment search helps you enforce a judgment you already have. A pre-litigation investigation helps you decide whether to sue at all, by testing collectibility before you spend.

Engage an Investigation Standing Screening

Your Examiner

Matt Aubin, CDFE, FBCI

Managing Partner, E3 Legacy Intel · FL Licensed Investigator A-1400197

Every matter on this page is worked under a named, licensed examiner. Matt Aubin brings seventeen years in cybercrime and open source intelligence. He is a Certified Digital Forensics Examiner (CDFE), a Florida Board Certified Investigator (FBCI), and a Certified AI Agent Developer, and he has investigated cases jointly with the FBI, the SEC, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Marshals.

His work has been featured on ABC News, Spectrum News, and The Daily Beast, and in a television pilot for Netflix and MAC Pictures as a cybercrime expert. He keynotes nationally and serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Association of Licensed Investigators (FALI). About Matt Aubin

RELATED INVESTIGATIONS

Asset Intelligence & Financial Investigations · Judgment Enforcement Asset Search · Litigation Intelligence

LET’S TALK

Bring us the problem. We will tell you plainly whether investigation can help.

Fill out this form and set up a discovery call with us. From there we will analyze the issues you are having and determine your intelligence needs. Then we will develop a custom, no-obligation quote for our services, delivered in writing before you commit to anything.

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A licensed examiner reads every inquiry. You get a written, flat fee quote before any work starts. Or call (877) 732-6648.