Ward Investigations in Baltimore: Private Investigation for Legal Cases and Background Checks

Ward Investigations is a small, attorney-affiliated private investigation firm based in Baltimore that handles domestic cases, corporate background checks, asset searches, and litigation support for lawyers and individual clients across the metro area.

What Ward Investigations Actually Does

Ward operates as a licensed private investigation agency serving Baltimore, surrounding counties, and Washington D.C. The firm takes cases that sit at the intersection of legal discovery and personal due diligence: attorneys using investigators to build cases, people conducting background checks before hiring or entering business partnerships, and individuals handling custody disputes or infidelity concerns. The scale is small enough that individual investigators handle cases rather than routing them through a large national firm, which can mean faster turnaround and more direct communication.

Services and Pricing

Standard services include background investigations (criminal, civil, financial history), subject surveillance, asset searches, and skip tracing. A background check costs between $150 and $400 depending on scope; a one-day surveillance is typically $500 to $800; asset and property searches run $200 to $500. Those figures shift based on the complexity of the search or the geographic range required, and you should confirm current pricing when you call. Cases billed hourly run at rates between $60 and $85 per hour plus expenses (mileage, court records, database fees). Most clients sign an engagement letter specifying the scope, estimated cost, and expense estimate upfront.

How Ward Compares to Other Baltimore Investigation Services

The private investigation market in Baltimore includes larger regional firms and independent investigators. Big outfits like Kroll or Tidewater Investigations operate across multiple states and specialize in corporate fraud and risk management, which costs more and works better for enterprises needing scaled resources. Solo investigators advertise lower hourly rates (sometimes $40 to $60) but often lack the infrastructure to handle multi-state searches or background databases efficiently. Ward sits in the middle: licensed, networked with local attorneys and court systems, and established enough to run organized files, but small enough to answer directly to clients without routing through an office manager. Choose Ward if you need someone who works with Baltimore family law or business attorneys regularly and understands local courts and property records. Choose a solo investigator if budget is your primary constraint and the case is simple (a single location, straightforward facts). Choose a regional firm if you need corporate due diligence or the case crosses many states.

Who Ward Suits and Who It Doesn't

Ward works well for divorce attorneys building asset documentation, business owners running background checks on potential partners, and individuals handling custody disputes who need documented evidence. It is not the right fit for multinational corporate espionage investigations, cases requiring surveillance teams in multiple cities simultaneously, or clients who cannot pay upfront for hours and expenses. Ward does not do undercover work or anything ethically gray; all investigations follow Maryland private investigator licensing rules and are defensible in court.

What the First Consultation Involves

Call to describe the case briefly and your timeline. Ward typically schedules a phone or in-person consultation (no charge for a short initial call). In that meeting, the investigator will ask for specifics: names, addresses, the exact information you need, your deadline, and roughly how much you want to spend. They will tell you whether they can take the case, what they will do, and what you should expect to pay. Bring any documents you have (previous addresses, known phone numbers, business licenses) to speed up the search. Do not expect an investigator to guess or advise you on legal strategy; that is your attorney's role. The investigator delivers facts.

Hours, Location, and How to Reach Them

Ward Investigations operates by appointment and phone call. Verify current hours and the office location by calling directly; investigator availability shifts with active cases. Parking is street and lot parking typical to downtown Baltimore or wherever the current office is located. Expenses (mileage, database queries, records pulls) are billed separately and typically total 10 to 30 percent on top of hourly labor.

Ward fills a gap in Baltimore's investigative market for people and attorneys who need local expertise without paying regional firm overhead, making it a sensible choice when you need someone licensed and court-experienced within the city.