Tampa Child Custody Investigator
A child custody investigator documents what actually happens during the other parent’s time with your child, then hands your family law attorney video, photographs, and a written report built to stand up in a Florida courtroom. When a child safety concern or a time sharing arrangement is at stake, what a parent says in court and what they actually do can be very different, and documented conduct is what closes that gap. Top Gun Investigations is attorney owned and led by Mark J. Aubin, a licensed Florida attorney and licensed private investigator, so the evidence we gather is collected to the standard Florida family court demands. Most custody investigations fall in the $1,500 to $3,500 range, and we give you a clear estimate up front. Call 813-902-0420 for a free, confidential consultation.
Florida Courts Award Time Sharing, Not Custody
The first thing many Tampa parents learn is that Florida law no longer uses the word custody the way most people do. Under Chapter 61 of the Florida Statutes, courts approve a parenting plan and order a time sharing schedule that spells out when the child is with each parent and who makes decisions about school, health care, and daily life. Searchers type custody, judges write parenting plans. The evidence question is the same either way: which arrangement serves the best interest of the child, and what does each parent’s real conduct say about it.
That distinction matters for your case strategy. A parenting plan is built from facts about capacity, stability, and safety, not from accusations. An investigation exists to supply those facts in a form a judge can rely on. Because our firm is led by a licensed Florida attorney, we understand what belongs in that record and what does not, and your own attorney can explain how the law applies to your specific parenting plan.
The Equal Time Sharing Presumption Changed the Fight
As of 2023, Florida law under Statute 61.13 starts from a rebuttable presumption that equal time sharing is in the best interest of the child. In plain terms, the court’s starting point is 50 and 50. To move a court away from that starting point, you need evidence, not allegations. Documented conduct is often what rebuts or supports that presumption.
This is the single biggest reason custody investigations have become more consequential, not less. Before the presumption, a parent could argue from history and circumstance. Now the parent who wants something other than an equal split carries the burden of showing why, and a judge who sees only competing testimony has little reason to depart from the default. A factual record of what actually happens during parenting time gives the court something concrete to weigh.
What the Court Actually Weighs
Florida judges decide time sharing on the best interest of the child, looking at each parent’s capacity to provide a safe, stable, and consistent environment. Who is actually caring for the child during their parenting time, the condition and safety of the home, and exposure to inappropriate people or situations all matter. Surveillance turns those questions into a factual record.
The statute lists many factors, and the ones an investigation can speak to directly include:
- Whether the parent personally cares for the child during their time or routinely hands the child off to others
- Whether the child is properly supervised, at home and in public
- The condition and safety of the residence and the environments the child is taken into
- Who is present around the child, including new partners, roommates, and visitors
- Patterns of conduct that bear on safety and stability, such as late night activity, driving behavior, or apparent impairment
None of these is decided by a single photograph. Judges look for patterns, which is why a properly scoped investigation covers the sessions it takes to show one.
What Custody Surveillance Documents
We document who is present during a parent’s time with the child, whether the child is properly supervised, the environments the child is taken into, and patterns of conduct that bear on safety and stability. Every observation is time stamped and tied to a location. We deliver video, photographs, and a clear written report your attorney can put in front of the court.
The report is written the way a courtroom needs it: factual, chronological, and free of speculation. It says what the investigator saw, when, and where, with the video and photographs to match. That discipline is deliberate. A report that editorializes invites cross examination; a report that documents invites belief. When your attorney opens the file, the difference is immediate.
A Custody Investigation Built for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
Custody cases for Tampa and the rest of Hillsborough County run through the family law division of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. Cases in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County sit in the Sixth Circuit, and Sarasota cases in the Twelfth. We have served all three communities since 2006, and we build every file to the standard a Florida family judge expects regardless of the courthouse: legally gathered evidence, a clean chain of documentation, and an investigator who can take the stand and explain exactly how it was collected.
That last point is worth pausing on. Evidence rarely speaks entirely for itself. If the other side challenges the footage, the investigator who gathered it must be able to testify credibly about vantage points, timing, and method. Top Gun investigators are well versed in the legal issues that arise in family cases and can provide experienced testimony in court when it is required.
The Recording and Tracking Trap
Parents in a custody fight often try to gather their own proof and end up hurting their case. Florida is an all party consent state under Statute 934.03, so secretly recording conversations can be illegal and inadmissible, and placing trackers can violate Statute 934.425. A parent who slips a recorder into a child’s backpack or a tracker onto the other parent’s car may hand the opposing attorney a weapon and taint everything else they bring to court.
A licensed investigator gathers evidence the legal way, from public vantage points and within Florida recording and tracking law, so it helps your child instead of backfiring. If you have already collected something on your own, tell your attorney before anyone uses it. Our attorney owner can explain how Florida’s recording statutes apply to what you have, which is a conversation better had before a hearing than during one.
What a Tampa Custody Investigation Costs
Cost depends on how many sessions the pattern requires. Many custody matters fall in the $1,500 to $3,500 range. Our standard surveillance rate runs about $100 to $150 an hour, most single investigator cases work on a retainer of $1,500 to $2,500 applied against hours, and a full day of surveillance runs about $600 to $1,500. Exchanges, school pickups, and weekend parenting time are predictable windows, which lets us plan sessions efficiently instead of burning hours waiting.
We give a clear written estimate before any work begins, and we scope the plan to the schedule in your parenting order. A well timed investigation concentrates effort where the conduct in question actually happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a private investigator help my custody case?
Yes. When a parenting arrangement or a child safety concern is in question, documented conduct is far more persuasive than testimony alone. We produce a court ready record of what actually happens during parenting time, delivered as video, photographs, and a written report.
What does a custody investigation cost?
Cost depends on how many sessions the pattern requires. We give a clear estimate up front, and many custody matters fall in the $1,500 to $3,500 range. Surveillance runs about $100 to $150 an hour, with most single investigator cases on a $1,500 to $2,500 retainer.
Is surveillance of the other parent legal?
Documenting activity visible from public vantage points is legal. We follow Florida recording and tracking law, including Statutes 934.03 and 934.425, so nothing we gather is thrown out or exposes you to liability.
How does the 2023 equal time sharing law affect me?
Florida now presumes equal time sharing is best for the child unless the evidence shows otherwise. That presumption is rebuttable, and documented conduct is often what it takes to move a court off that starting point.
Will the other parent know they are being investigated?
No. Our surveillance is discreet and the other parent will not be aware an investigation is underway. Your case information stays confidential.
Can your investigator testify at my hearing?
Yes. Top Gun investigators are well versed in the legal issues that arise in family cases and can provide experienced, expert testimony in court when the case requires it.
How long does a custody investigation take?
It depends on the pattern you need documented. Some concerns show themselves in a single well timed session around an exchange or a weekend; most cases run several sessions matched to the parenting schedule. We scope the timeline with you before work starts.
The First Call Costs Nothing
Free, confidential case analysis. Speak directly with an attorney owned investigation team about your parenting plan, your concerns, and what a factual record could do for your case. Call 813-902-0420 or email topgun@privateinvestigator-tampa.com.
Top Gun Investigations, 1002 S Church Ave, Tampa, FL 33629. Attorney owned and operated, serving Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota since 2006. Florida agency license A2900089.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.