Florida Cohabitation Investigation Services

Free Confidential Cohabitation Investigation Consultation

Supportive Relationships Under Florida Law

Florida Statutes section 61.14 places the legal decision with the court. The statute directs the court to make written findings when deciding whether a supportive relationship has existed and whether an award of support, maintenance, or alimony should be reduced or terminated.

The person seeking a change has the burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that a supportive relationship exists or existed during the 365 days before the relevant filing. If that showing is made, the burden shifts as described in the statute. Because the law and the governing order control the case, clients should obtain advice from a qualified Florida family-law attorney before deciding what evidence is needed.

Factors the Court May Consider

The statutory factors include how the people present their relationship, how long they have lived together, whether they pool income or assets, financial support between them, valuable services provided to each other or a business, joint acquisition or improvement of property, agreements involving property or support, alimony payment history, and support provided to each other’s children or family members.

Living at the same address or spending nights together does not allow an investigator to make the legal conclusion. A useful investigation develops a documented pattern and preserves the source of each fact so counsel can compare the evidence with the statute and the specific order.

What a Cohabitation Investigation May Document

The appropriate scope depends on the known facts, the legal issue, the available budget, and counsel’s strategy. Work may combine professional surveillance with Florida record and asset research and other lawful verification methods.

• Residence patterns: recurring arrivals, departures, overnight stays, vehicle presence, and other activity observed from lawful vantage points.
• Shared routines: repeated household, transportation, travel, shopping, or family activities that can be documented without trespass or intrusion.
• Address and property connections: property, mailing, business, vehicle, and other affiliations available through lawful records.
• Public representations: public social-media posts, business listings, event information, or other open sources that may show how the relationship is presented.
• Financially relevant public facts: public property ownership, corporate affiliations, recorded documents, and other legally available information. JRS Investigations does not obtain private bank records, credit files, tax returns, or protected account data without proper legal authority.
• Witness information: identification and voluntary interviews of people who may have direct knowledge relevant to the authorized assignment.

When broader identity or history questions are material, the assignment may also include a separately scoped background investigation. The purpose is to verify relevant facts, not to collect unrelated personal information.

How the Investigation Works

1. Confidential Case Review

The client provides the governing order or attorney-approved objectives, known addresses, vehicles, schedules, photographs, public profiles, prior reports, and other relevant information. We identify what is known, what requires verification, and which questions are outside a private investigator’s lawful role.

2. Focused Investigation Plan

JRS Investigations recommends a practical combination of surveillance, public-record research, open-source research, and witness development. The plan addresses likely observation windows, geographic limits, safety concerns, reporting needs, and budget. Work is designed around specific issues instead of relying on unnecessary or overly broad monitoring.

3. Lawful Documentation

Investigators document activity from public places or other locations where they are authorized to be. Notes, time-stamped photographs, video, source records, and research results are organized as the work progresses. We do not trespass, enter private spaces, impersonate law enforcement, hack accounts, intercept private communications, or install a tracking device without lawful authority.

4. Clear Reporting

The client receives an organized report describing the assignment, dates, methods, observations, source records, and limitations. The report separates observed facts from analysis and does not state a legal conclusion. When counsel directs the matter, reporting can be coordinated with the attorney’s evidentiary and scheduling needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does living together automatically prove a supportive relationship?

No. The court evaluates the evidence under Florida law and makes written findings. An investigator can document residence patterns and other relevant facts, but cannot decide the legal effect of those facts.

How long should surveillance last?

There is no responsible one-size-fits-all answer. The schedule depends on the known routine, legal objectives, travel, work hours, budget, and whether counsel needs a pattern across multiple dates. The proposed plan is discussed before work begins and may be adjusted as verified information develops.

Can an investigator obtain bank statements or private account records?

Not without lawful authority. JRS Investigations uses public records, open sources, client-supplied information, authorized interviews, and lawful fieldwork. Private financial records may require consent, discovery, subpoena, or another legal process handled by counsel.

Will the investigator contact or confront the other person?

Not as a routine surveillance tactic. Unplanned contact can create safety concerns, compromise the assignment, or affect the evidence. Any interview or contact strategy is evaluated carefully and coordinated with counsel when appropriate.

What will the final report include?

Reports generally identify the assignment scope, dates, locations, investigative activity, observations, relevant photographs or video, source records, and limitations. The exact format depends on the matter and the client’s needs.

Can the investigation guarantee an alimony reduction?

No. JRS Investigations cannot guarantee what will be observed, whether a supportive relationship will be proven, whether evidence will be admitted, or how a court will rule. The service provides lawful documentation for informed legal review.