Whether civil (between individuals) or commercial (between businesses), civil debt enforcement proceedings are costly and subject to various uncertainties.

After obtaining an enforceable title, two measures can be implemented.

The first involves taking “provisional measures” aimed at preventing the debtor from organizing their insolvency to evade their creditor and the second involves the “forced collection” of the debt.

In both cases, it is essential to have accurate and up-to-date information about the debtor’s whereabouts, particularly their residence. Preliminary investigations are therefore necessary.

A bailiff having no authority in this regard, aside from verifying the presence of the debtor at their residence when serving a judgment, it is the role of the private investigator to carry out the necessary investigations.

In accordance with Article 621.1 of the French Code of Internal Security, which states: “A liberal profession that consists, for an individual, in gathering, even without disclosing their status or revealing the purpose of their mission, information or intelligence intended for third parties, with a view to defending their interests,” the private investigator, through their appropriate legal status, is therefore authorized to conduct civil investigations. These may involve locating a debtor’s contact details, assessing their solvency, or even identifying their assets.

Our intervention

Cabinet Arnoult International’s intervention allows to identify the location of a debtor’s residence, their employer’s identity, or to determine their assets to facilitate the enforcement of a judgment in France and abroad.

Service agreement

For each mission, a contract is drafted, specifying the purpose of the mission, the methodology, the financial terms, and the timeline for execution.

Lead investigator

Your case will be handled by a dedicated lead investigator who’s going to be your only contact, in charge of coordinating and managing the investigations.

Investigation report

At the conclusion of the investigations, a detailed, thorough, and precise investigation report will be drafted. It may be presented, if necessary, before the competent jurisdiction.

Example &
Practical

Mr. Xavier was ordered in 2015 by the Tribunal de Grande Instance to reimburse the sum of €183,200 to Mr. Anatole, including interest from the date of the judgment and in accordance with Article 700 of the French Code of Civil Procedure.

After being commissioned to locate the debtor’s address, Cabinet Arnoult International successfully identified the address of Mr. Xavier, who was living with a woman with whom he had jointly purchased a house near Paris.

Furthermore, he was employed in a restaurant of which he owned 33% of the share capita.

Our investigation allowed us to register a mortgage on the portion of the property he had acquired jointly and to place a pledge on the shares he held in the restaurant.

Ultimately, after negotiations, an agreement was reached.