Private Investigator in Irvine, CA — Surveillance Is Our Specialty
Looking for a private investigator in Irvine? Bear Witness Private Investigators is a California-licensed firm (PI #18755) that has specialized in surveillance since 1996. Irvine is a city of about 308,000 people in Orange County, and it is part of our regular coverage across Southern California.
Our Irvine clients include individuals facing infidelity or a missing family member, parents in custody and support disputes, employers and insurers dealing with fraud, and law firms that need evidence and testimony. What they share is a need for discreet, lawful surveillance that holds up.
Irvine Surveillance Investigations: Our Specialty
Most investigations come down to one question: what is really happening? A private investigator in Irvine answers it with surveillance video, photos, and a written timeline.
Mobile Surveillance
We follow the subject by vehicle through Irvine and beyond, keeping distance and cover so they never know we are there.
Static Surveillance
We hold position at the locations that matter to your case and record activity with time-stamped video.
Two-Investigator Teams
Team surveillance covers multiple exits and keeps a moving subject in sight in heavy Southern California traffic.
Like much of Orange County, Irvine mixes residential neighborhoods with busy commercial corridors. We combine discreet residential positioning with mobile coverage on the roads in between.
How a Irvine Private Investigator Can Help
Four kinds of clients call us most — and surveillance is at the center of almost every case.
Personal Cases
- Nanny & daycare surveillance — observing caregiver conduct and advising on what in-home recording is legal.
- Infidelity & cheating spouse — documenting where a partner goes and who they meet, without them knowing.
- Runaways & missing persons — people-location work to find someone who has gone missing or run away.
Family Law Cases
- Lifestyle investigations — documenting spending, activities, and lifestyle relevant to support claims.
- Cohabitation — proof of a live-in partner when spousal support is at stake.
- Divorce investigations — evidence for Orange County family court, documented properly.
- Child support — documenting employment and income the other parent may not be reporting.
- Child custody — documenting what happens during parenting time in and around Irvine.
- Child visitation — observing whether visitation terms are being followed.
Business Cases
- Business partner surveillance — answers before you sign or after trust breaks down.
- Employee theft — quietly confirming suspected theft so you can respond with facts.
- Insurance defense — surveillance and investigation for carriers and defense counsel.
- Injury claims — showing what a claimant can really do.
- Workers’ comp fraud — documenting claimant activity across Orange County.
Law Firm Cases
- Court testimony — our investigators testify to what they observed.
- Witness statements — tracking down witnesses in Irvine and beyond.
- Records research — public and court records research to support your case.
- Surveillance — defensible surveillance your team can rely on at trial.
- Evidence gathering — court-ready documentation for litigation.
- Evasive subpoena service — service on people who don’t want to be found.
What Sets Our Irvine Investigators Apart
Choosing a private investigator in Irvine comes down to experience, discretion, and evidence that holds up.
Surveillance Specialists
We specialize in surveillance, so your case gets investigators who do this every day.
Direct Access to Your Investigator
One investigator from your first call to your final report, with updates along the way.
Absolute Discretion
Your case is never discussed with anyone outside the firm, and the subject never knows we were there.
Licensed & Veteran-Owned
A veteran-owned firm licensed by the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services.
Available 24/7
Cases don’t keep business hours. We take calls and work surveillance day, night, and weekends.
Court-Ready Evidence
Time-stamped video, detailed reports, and investigator testimony that stand up in court.
What Our Clients Say
Real reviews from Bear Witness clients across California.
“Wow. Outstanding job! I really did get lucky when I picked you guys. I don’t think any other private investigator could have handled my case better than you did. Very on top of your game, from start to finish. Excellent work!”
“I hired your detective agency to do a surveillance investigation in Orange County for a personal issue. I found your company to be professional & very helpful. Thank you for the updates, insight, and information you provided. You guys did a good job and I will recommend your private investigator company to others.”
“Thanks for the great investigation. This was my first time hiring a private investigator and you guys really made it a positive experience. The surveillance video and information your company obtained really helped me out in making a tough decision. I appreciate all your hard work and personal attention.”
Names and/or locations altered for client privacy. Read more client reviews →
Where Irvine Cases Are Heard
Irvine sits roughly 8 miles from Santa Ana, the Orange County seat, where the main Superior Court of California, County of Orange facilities are located.
Divorce, custody, support, and civil cases involving Irvine residents are generally filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange. We document every case with that courtroom in mind: dated, time-stamped, gathered legally, and backed by testimony if needed.
About 56% of Irvine households rent, and renters move more often — so for process serving and people-location work, we verify a subject’s current address before the first attempt.
Also Serving Near Irvine
If your subject lives in Irvine but works or travels elsewhere, that’s routine. Nearby areas include:
Straight-line distances from Irvine.
Working With a Irvine Private Investigator, Step by Step
- 1
Call Us
A short, private conversation about your situation, with no obligation.
- 2
Strategy
We decide when and where surveillance in and around Irvine is most likely to answer your question.
- 3
Fieldwork
One investigator handles your case from start to finish.
- 4
Results
Documented findings in plain language — including a clear “nothing found” when that is the truth.
Irvine Private Investigator FAQs
Do you also cover Tustin Ranch and Tustin?
Yes. Tustin Ranch is about 4 miles from Irvine and Tustin about 4 miles, and both are part of our regular coverage in Southern California.
How far is Irvine from the Orange County courthouse?
Irvine is roughly 8 miles (straight-line) from Santa Ana, the Orange County seat, where the main Superior Court of California, County of Orange facilities are. Some matters are heard at branch courthouses; your attorney can confirm the location.
What does a private investigator in Irvine do?
We document facts for personal, family law, business, and legal cases — most often through surveillance, along with background research, people location, witness statements, and process serving.
Do you specialize in surveillance?
Yes. Surveillance has been Bear Witness’s specialty since 1996, and it is part of nearly every case we handle in Irvine and across California.
Can you document cohabitation for a spousal support case?
Yes. Under California Family Code section 4323, a supported spouse living with a partner can create a presumption of decreased need for support. We document cohabitation for you and your attorney.
Can you serve someone who is avoiding service?
Yes. We locate the person first, then time service attempts around when they are actually there, and document service for the court.
Do you handle workers’ compensation and insurance claims?
Yes. We conduct claimant surveillance and claim investigations for employers, insurers, and defense counsel.
How quickly can a Irvine case start?
Most cases begin within a day or two of your first call, once we agree on a plan.
Can you help find a runaway or missing person?
Yes. We use people-location and investigative techniques to find family members and others who have left or lost touch.
Ready to talk to a private investigator in Irvine? Call 1(877)PROOF-24/7 for a free, confidential consultation.