What is evidence? - Investigating the difference between 'signs of cheating' and 'evidence' -
🦉FILE-011
"They started placing their smartphone face down."
"They started coming home late."
"They've suddenly become kinder lately."
From such small feelings of unease,
"Could they be cheating...?"
Have you ever felt anxious like that?
However,
are those feelings of unease,
truly "evidence"?
This time, Investigator Ho,
investigated over 30 pieces of public information including detective agencies, law firms, legal media, court precedents, Yahoo! Chiebukuro, and note, and found that,
what many experts had in common was,
"Signs of cheating" and "evidence" are completely different things
as a way of thinking.
On the other hand,
in personal experiences,
"I confronted them based only on a feeling of unease."
"I thought LINE messages alone were evidence."
Many such regrets were also seen.
So, this time,
as the first investigation for Season 2 'Evidence Edition',
"What is evidence"
will be organized by Investigator Ho.
〈Includes PR links〉
🦉 Investigator Ho's Investigation Memo
In this article,
Detective agencies/detective media: approx. 12 sites
Law firms/legal media: approx. 10 sites
Court precedents/official documents: 2 cases
note, Yahoo! Chiebukuro, blogs, etc.: approx. 6 cases
I have compared a total of about 30 pieces of public information,
and organized the content that was common across multiple sources.
What you will learn in this article
✔ The difference between signs of cheating and evidence
✔ What experts consider to be "evidence"
✔ Points that the general public often misunderstands
✔ What to check next
① "Signs of cheating" and "evidence" are different
First,
This is the most important point I want to convey in this investigation.
In the public information from detective agencies and law firms,
it is almost universally stated that,
'signs alone cannot be judged as cheating'
is how it was introduced.
For example,
・Started placing their smartphone face down
・Coming home later than usual
・Suddenly becoming kinder
・Changed their perfume
These are,
certainly things that feel off.
However,
work becoming busier,
changes in personal relationships,
changes in daily rhythm, etc.,
can also occur for other reasons.
In other words,
'a trigger to consider the possibility of cheating'
is what they become, but
That alone does not prove infidelity.
On the other hand,
the 'evidence' introduced by detective agencies and law firms
is something that can objectively demonstrate the facts.
For example,
・Photos of entering or leaving a love hotel
・LINE messages that specifically imply a physical relationship
・A detective's investigation report
・A recording of the person admitting to the infidelity
were mentioned as examples.
💬 Actual personal experiences
On Yahoo! Chiebukuro and note,
posts were also seen saying,
“I thought it was cheating because they started hiding their smartphone, but it turned out they were just getting more work-related messages.”
Conversely,
there were also personal experiences saying,
“As a result of continuing to record my suspicions, multiple pieces of evidence connected later on.”
🦉 Investigator Ho's findings
What experts are looking at
is not
“whether it is suspicious.”
Whether there are facts that can be explained objectively.
That is
the major difference between signs and evidence.
(2) Criteria that experts consider to be 'evidence'
So,
What criteria do experts use
to determine
what counts as 'evidence'?
The detective agencies and law firms we investigated for this report
all emphasized the following three points.
Objectivity
That it can be interpreted the same way by anyone who sees it.
Continuity
That it is not just a one-time occurrence,
but that a continuous relationship can be confirmed.
Ability to infer a physical relationship
Legal 'infidelity'
is based on the premise that a physical relationship occurred.
Therefore,
'being close'
is weak as evidence on its own,
and it was noted that content from which a physical relationship can be inferred is important.
💬 Commonalities in public information
Articles supervised by lawyers state that
LINE messages simply saying 'I like you' or 'I want to see you'
are often weak as evidence.
On the other hand,
it was explained that if information supporting the situation is added, such as specific details about plans to stay overnight or hotel usage,
the likelihood of it being evaluated as evidence increases.
🦉 Investigator Ho's findings
Evidence is,
Not just 'something suspicious',
but rather,
'something that can be explained objectively'
was a common way of thinking
among experts.
🦉 Investigator Ho's initial advice
'I wonder if I should consult with just this LINE message.'
'I feel like the evidence is still weak.'
Many people harbor such anxieties.
At a detective agency's free consultation,
you may be able to discuss whether an investigation is necessary with the information you currently have.
'A place to consult only after you have sufficient evidence'
is not what it is,
but it can also be used as a place to consult to organize your situation.
▶ For those who want to compare and consult first
For those who want to organize 'whether an investigation is necessary in the current situation'
while comparing multiple detective agencies,
there is also a way to check through a comparison service.
▶
▶ Machikado Consultation (Free Comparison)
3. Even if one piece of information is not evidence on its own, it becomes stronger when combined
In this investigation,
this way of thinking was the most impressive.
For example,
GPS alone.
A hotel receipt alone.
LINE messages alone.
Individually,
there may be room for explanation.
However,
when multiple pieces of information overlap,
their persuasiveness as evidence changes significantly.
For example,
a hotel receipt
+
LINE messages from that day
+
location data
+
a photo of entering or leaving the hotel
In this way,
when multiple pieces of information align,
facts that were not visible from just one piece of information begin to emerge.
💬 Actual experiences
In personal accounts,
there were voices saying, 'I trusted only the GPS and confronted them, but they just said, "It was work," and that was the end of it.'
On the other hand,
there were also posts saying, 'By keeping a diary, LINE messages, and receipts, I was able to organize the situation later.'
🦉 Investigator Ho's findings
What detectives, lawyers, and court cases all had in common was
'Do not judge based on a single piece of evidence'
this way of thinking.
In Season 2,
we will investigate LINE messages, photos, GPS, receipts, and more,
one by one in detail.
🦉 Investigator Ho's investigation report
After investigating about 30 pieces of public information this time,
what left the biggest impression on me was that
experts are looking at
'probative value'
of the evidence.
On the other hand,
what was common in personal accounts was,
'I wish I had done this at that time.'
is the regret of that.
In other words,
Experts
what constitutes evidence
will teach you.
Personal experiences
how you could have avoided regret
will teach you.
By considering these two together,
without rushing,
the likelihood of being able to make a calm judgment increases.
🦉 Investigator Ho's Investigation Advice
"I don't know if I should consult a detective."
"How much evidence is needed?"
"Is this a situation where I should spend money on an investigation?"
At the stage where you are still hesitant, you do not need to decide on one company from the start.
After comparing consultation details, estimates, and investigation methods, choose a place you can be satisfied with.
For those who want to compare multiple companies first
▶ Machikado Consultation Office
For those who want to compare multiple detectives first
Recommended for those who want to find a consultant that suits them while comparing proposals and cost estimates from multiple companies.
▶ Haraichi Detective Agency
For those who want to consult directly with a major agency with a proven track record
Nationwide coverage and 24-hour free telephone consultation, suitable for those who want to consult as soon as possible.
▶ HAL Detective Agency
For those who want to proceed while discussing costs and investigation details
Easy to start with a free consultation, allowing you to consider investigation plans tailored to your situation.
▶ ALG Detective Agency
For those who want to look ahead to legal consultation after the investigation
Operated by a law firm group, it is suitable for those who want to keep in mind future alimony claims or divorce consultations after the investigation.
※ Using a free consultation does not mean you are obligated to sign a contract.
In addition to the price, be sure to check the following points:
・What kind of investigation will be conducted
・Conditions under which additional fees occur
・What is included in the investigation report
・Whether you are being pressured to sign a contract
・Whether you are satisfied with the explanation
To avoid regrets when choosing a detective, it is important not to decide on just one company from the start, but to compare multiple companies.
📁 Related Files
📄 FILE-004
What counts as evidence of cheating and what does not
📄 FILE-005
What should you do first if you find evidence of cheating?
▶ NEXT FILE-012