The 11 Tabs — At a Glance

The system is organized into 11 tabs across the top of the screen. The first 8 are reference tabs — you read and use them during investigations. The last 3 are working tabs — you fill in forms, generate reports, and submit them to administration.

* Archive access requires administrator credentials — Dr. Walwyn and A.D. Walwyn only.

How to Navigate

• ▸
  Click any tab at the top to switch sections — the active tab is highlighted in gold
• ▸
  Within each tab, click any card header to expand or collapse its content
• ▸
  Scroll down within a section to see all content — some sections are long
• ▸
  Use the Print button at the top of each reference section to print that section for field use

📋 PSI — Pre-Sentence Investigation

Contains the complete defense approach to PSI work — from attorney intake through client interview, criminal history audit, collateral source interviews, and PSI report review. Use this tab for any case where your attorney client needs an independent PSI review or mitigation investigation.

⚖️ Family Violence

Contains the defense-focused approach to family violence investigations including case file review, client interview questions, complainant background investigation, and witness interview questions. Critical reminder: Never contact an alleged victim without explicit written authorization from the attorney.

🔍 Social Media & 🕵️ Skip Trace

Social Media covers platform-by-platform search protocols, Google search operators, reverse image search, evidence preservation, and what to look for that helps the defense. Skip Trace covers the step-by-step process for locating subjects using free Texas public records resources, social media OSINT, and associate network investigation.

👁️ Witness · 📍 Scene · 📄 Reports · 🛡 Ethics

Witness covers pre-interview preparation, universal interview questions, and documentation standards. Scene covers crime scene documentation protocol. Reports covers IAI writing standards. Ethics covers Texas law — what you may and may not do as a licensed investigator. You are required to know and follow everything in the Ethics tab.

Five Form Types

At the top of the Field Notes tab, you will see five buttons — one for each type of investigation. Click the button that matches your assignment to load that form.

• 1
  PSI Interview — for pre-sentence investigation client interviews
• 2
  Witness Interview — for any witness interview including complainants and collateral sources
• 3
  Family Violence — for family violence defense investigations
• 4
  Scene Documentation — for crime scene visits and physical evidence documentation
• 5
  Skip Trace / Background — for subject location and background investigations

How to Use the Form

• 1
  Select the appropriate form type at the top of the Field Notes tab
• 2
  Fill in the header fields — your name, date, client name, case number, attorney
• 3
  Complete each text area with your findings — you can type during the interview or immediately after
• 4
  When complete, click the gold Generate Report button at the bottom of the form
• 5
  A formatted, professional IAI report appears instantly with your firm letterhead and all findings properly organized
• 6
  Click Copy to Clipboard or Download .txt to save the report

Step-by-Step Submission Process

• 1
  Generate your report in the Field Notes tab
• 2
  Click Copy to Clipboard on the generated report
• 3
  Click the 📤 Submit Report tab at the top of the screen
• 4
  Select your name from the Investigator dropdown
• 5
  Select the Report Type, enter the Client name, Case number, and Attorney name
• 6
  Click in the Report Content text area and paste your copied report (Cmd+V on Mac, Ctrl+V on Windows)
• 7
  Check the certification box confirming the report is accurate
• 8
  Click Submit Report to Archive

What Happens After Submission

Your report is immediately saved to the IAI Firebase cloud database with a timestamp, your name, and all case details. Dr. Walwyn and A.D. Walwyn can access it instantly from the Archive tab using their administrator credentials. The report is permanently stored and cannot be lost.

The Five Rules You Must Always Follow

• 1
  Always identify yourself correctly. When contacting witnesses or conducting interviews, you must identify yourself as a private investigator working for the defense. Never imply you have police authority. Never misrepresent your role.
• 2
  Never contact alleged victims without attorney authorization. In family violence cases, contacting the alleged victim without explicit written authorization from the attorney can result in additional criminal charges against the defendant and disciplinary action against IAI.
• 3
  Never trespass. You may observe and photograph from public areas. You may never enter private property without permission. You may never access private accounts, databases, or communications without authorization.
• 4
  Maintain strict confidentiality. All case information is attorney work product. Never discuss case details with anyone outside the defense team. Never share investigative findings with the client directly without attorney authorization.
• 5
  Document everything accurately. Report only what you personally observed, verified, or were told — and clearly distinguish between all three. Never speculate, editorialize, or draw legal conclusions in your reports.