How to Become a Court Investigator

A court investigator works on both civil and criminal investigations. He runs background checks, conducts interviews and does other research and reports findings to the court. Court investigators work on cases ranging from guardianship cases, to potential child abuse or neglect cases to inhumane treatment of animal cases, just to name a few.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Understand the responsibility involved in being a court investigator. He or she plays a vital role in the welfare of others. For example, a court investigator conducts all research required for guardianship cases. He interviews a conservator (responsible person) and helps determine suitability for a conservatee (one who can't care for themselves or their finances). Final decisions are based on the reports written by a court investigator.
2. Plan your education carefully. If you would like to become a court investigator, consider a Bachelor's or Master's degree in criminal justice. In criminal justice courses, you can study legal issues such as current laws and legislation, monitoring of offenders and management of wards of the court. Human behavior and psychology are also part of the criminal justice curriculum.
3. Consider taking college courses in sociology and communication also. You'll need strong skills in communication (both verbal and written) and strong people skills if you want to become a court investigator. You'll be interviewing countless people, filling out forms for the courts and writing reports on your findings.
4. Think about other courses of study besides criminal justice. Some people become court investigators with a degree in law or business administration. Qualifications vary. Check with your local courthouse for help in finding exact requirements where you live.