Lost, Missing, Avoiding
The Search for the Ghost Defendant
Finding the person who doesn’t want to be found.
We locate. We serve. We document.
Cleanly, ethically, without breach or spectacle.
You’ve got a file.
A court date. A timeline. A right to be heard. A right to resolve.
But you can’t move forward — because the other side is missing.
They’re not answering their phone. They’ve changed addresses.
They’ve ghosted their employer, their family, even their own lawyer.
You can’t sue them. You can’t serve them.
You can’t even prove they’re alive — or if they’re avoiding you on purpose.
This is where most cases stall.
And where Arthur begins.
The Ghost Defendant Problem
“Defendant cannot be located” sounds harmless in theory.
In practice, it means:
- Delayed justice — months or years before you can even get a ruling
- Escalating costs — every new lawyer letter, attempt at service, or delay adds billable time
- Frustrated courts — judges don’t want to make orders in a vacuum
- Legal risk — service errors can void outcomes, force retrials, or trigger appeals
- Emotional strain — especially in family, estate, or harassment cases where personal stakes are high
And in some cases, the missing party knows exactly what they’re doing.
They’ve gone silent to avoid consequences.
To buy time. To create confusion.
To dodge responsibility until the system gives up.
Arthur doesn’t give up.
How Arthur Finds the Missing — Legally and Cleanly
Arthur Investigations specializes in lawful, ethical locates — the act of identifying, verifying, and tracking individuals who are off-grid, evasive, or absent.
We do not break laws.
We do not cross lines.
We do not harass, hack, or intimidate.
We use:
- Database access (utility records, employment, address changes)
- Surveillance and pattern analysis (workplaces, vehicle sightings, habitual movement)
- Soft contact networks (neighbours, family, previous employers)
- Online footprint tracing (social media, marketplace listings, digital behaviour)
- Field verification (door knocks, residence checks, package delivery confirmation)
Everything is logged.
Everything is timestamped.
Everything holds up in court.
Our reports give judges the confidence to rule — and lawyers the confidence to proceed.
Case Example (Composite): The Vanishing Guarantor
In a mid-sized business debt case, a personal guarantor defaulted on a six-figure commercial lease.
Once papers were filed, the defendant:
- Quit their job
- Disconnected their phone
- Moved out of province
- Deleted their LinkedIn profile
Legal counsel stalled.
The leasing company couldn’t locate them.
Court refused substitution until good-faith service attempts were exhausted.
Arthur initiates a locate.
- A license plate camera captures the individual entering a rural property 200km from their registered address.
- Online research shows family land holdings in that region.
- A monitored delivery attempt confirms live occupancy.
- Surveillance confirms routine activity over five days.
- Service is completed — peacefully, with affidavit and photographic documentation.
The court accepts service without delay.
Judgment proceeds.
This in’t about surveillance drama.
It's about moving a file forward, ethically, with proof.
Why This Matters
Missing parties aren’t just logistical problems.
They’re structural risks — to your case, your strategy, and your peace of mind.
- In family law, evasive parties delay parenting orders, support agreements, and disclosure.
- In estate law, a missing sibling or heir can derail the entire administration.
- In civil claims, evasive service becomes the loophole that fraudsters rely on.
- In protection cases, the inability to locate someone can escalate real harm.
Arthur removes that uncertainty — not with aggression, but with precision.
What We Don’t Do
Let’s be clear about the limits.
Arthur does not:
- Impersonate others
- Use spyware or illegal tech
- Harass or follow minors
- Enter properties unlawfully
- Pose as law enforcement
- Fabricate service
Our work is designed to hold up under scrutiny — from judges, tribunals, professional regulators, and opposing counsel.
We’re not cowboys.
We’re not mercenaries.
We’re professionals who understand the stakes — and the boundaries.
Service Done Right
Once a locate is successful, Arthur ensures proper service is executed:
- Physical delivery of legal documents to verified individuals
- Substitutional service (when authorized), including public posting or email
- Court-ready affidavits with photo, GPS, and timeline confirmation
- Witnessed handoff, where needed
- Peaceful, documented presence — with no confrontation
We also advise lawyers and clients on when to stop — and escalate to court for substituted service if a person cannot be found despite exhaustive good-faith efforts.
Arthur gives you the record, the integrity, and the momentum to proceed.
Why Lawyers Use Us Again and Again
Because time matters.
Because court clerks want clean files.
Because judges want to see effort, not excuses.
And because Arthur doesn’t fail.
When you hire us to locate and serve, you’re not just hiring a bailiff.
You’re hiring:
- A communications strategist
- A legal process specialist
- A field investigator
- A reputation protector
We don’t escalate risk.
We resolve uncertainty — and we protect the legitimacy of your outcome.
No More Hiding
The legal system only works if people show up.
When they don’t — and they don’t want to — Arthur steps in.
With care.
With calm.
With clarity.
We don’t drag people into court.
We simply ensure that they’re given the chance — and that justice is no longer waiting on someone else’s silence.
