Glossary of Private Investigation Terms and Definitions

Abstract	Abbreviated transcription of a document or record that includes the date of the record, every name appearing therein, the relationship (if stated) of each person named and their description (i.e. witness, executor, bondsman, son, widow, etc.), and if they signed with their signature or mark.
Ad litem	Legal term meaning in this case only. For example, "George Thomas, duly appointed by the court, may administer ad litem the settlement of the estate of Joseph Thomas, deceased."
Administration	A court action used to settle the estate of a person who died without leaving a left a will, or a person who left a will that the court disallowed, or where the executor appointed by the deceased refuses to serve in that capacity.
Affidavit	A written or oral statement made under oath.
a.k.a.	Also known as; alias.
Alien	A citizen of another country.
Ancestry	Denotes all of your ancestors from your parents as far back as they are traceable. Estimates suggest that everyone has approximately 65,000 traceable ancestors, meaning ancestors whose existence can be documented in surviving records.
Anti-Terrorism	Refers to acts which prevent terrorism (such as passenger screening at airports)
Assignment	Grant of property or a legal right, benefit, or privilege to another person.
Authenticate	Prove a document is not a forgery.
Birth records	A birth record contains information about the birth of an individual. On a birth record, you can usually find the mother's full maiden name and the father's full name, the name of the baby, the date of the birth, and county where the birth took place. Many birth records include other information, such as the birthplaces of the baby's parents, the addresses of the parents, the number of children that the parents have, and the race of the parents, and the parents' occupations.
Bond	Written, binding agreement to perform as specified. Many types of bonds have existed for centuries and appear in marriage, land and court records of used by genealogists. Historically, laws required administrators and executors of estates, grooms alone or with others, and guardians of minors to post bonds. It is not unusual to discover that a bondsman was related to someone involved in the action before the court. If a bondsman failed to perform, the court may have demanded payment of a specified sum as a penalty.
Civil law	Laws concerned with civil or private rights and remedies, as contrasted with criminal law; body of law established by a nation, commonwealth, county or city, also called municipal law.
Counter-Terrorism	The take down of a terrorist stronghold or freeing of hostages held.
Deed	Document transferring ownership and title of property.
Detective	A person, usually a member of a police force, who investigates crimes and obtains evidence or information.
Directories	Directories come in all types: city, telephone, county, regional, professional, religious, post office, street, ethnic, and school. The directories you search will depend on the type of information you know about the individual. The information that you can find in a directory depends on the type of directory. For example, city directories normally list names and addresses. In some city directories you can also find information such as children's names, marriage dates, death dates, and birth dates. Other types of directories may provide you with even more interesting information about your ancestors. For instance, a church directory may tell you about an individual's involvement in church activities, professional directories may give you insight into your ancestor's professional life, and club directories may contain information about your ancestor's involvement in social activities.
Estate	Assets and liabilities of a decedent, including land, personal belongings and debts.
et al	Latin - meaning "and others."
Evidence	Any kind of proof, such as testimony, documents, records, certificates, material objects, etc.
Genealogy	The study of one's ancestry; summary history or table of a person's ancestry.
Grantor	Person selling, granting, transferring or conveying property.
Guardian	Person lawfully appointed to care for the person of a minor, invalid, incompetent and their interests, such as education, property management and investments.
Heir	Person who succeeds, by the rules of law, to an estate upon the death of an ancestor; one with rights to inherit an estate.
Illegitimate	A child born to a woman who is not married to the father.
In testate	Term used to denote a person who died without leaving a will.
Lessee	Person leasing property from an owner.
Lessor	Owner leasing property to a tenant.
Lien	Claim placed on property by a person who is owed money.
Lis pendens	Notices of suits pending litigation, usually in matters concerning land.
Litigant	Person involved in a lawsuit.
Loco parentis	In place of the parent or parents.
Marriage records	A marriage record contains information about a marriage between two individuals. On a marriage record, you can at least find the bride's and groom's full names, the date of the marriage, and county where the marriage took place. Many marriage records include other information, such as the names and birthplaces of the bride's and groom's parents, the addresses of the bride and groom, information about previous marriages, and the names of the witnesses to the marriage.
Military records	The US government has always kept records on all military and civilian workers. Most of these files have very detailed information, such as the individual's name, their spouse's name, date of birth, place of residence, which wars the individual served in, their military organization (Navy, Marines, or Army), when the individual's service began and ended, where and when the individual died, and where the individual was buried.
Minor	A person under legal age; historically, the legal age differed from place to place and over time. (Check prevailing law to determine the legal age requirement at a specific time.)
Power of attorney	Written instrument where on persons, as principal, appoints someone as his or her agent, thereby authorizing that person to perform certain acts on behalf of the principal, such as buying or selling property, settling an estate, representing them in court, etc.
Private Investigator	A person privately hired to do investigative or detective work. Also called private detective, private eye.
Probate	Legal process used to determine the validity of a will before the court authorizes distribution of an estate; legal process used to appoint an someone to administer the estate of someone who died without leaving a will.
Probate records	Probate records are records disposing of a deceased individual's property. They may include an individual's last will and testament, if one was made. The information you can get from probate records varies, but usually includes the name of the deceased, either the deceased's age at the time of death or birth date, property, members of the family, and the last place of residence
Real property	Land and anything attached to it, such as houses, building, barns, growing timber, growing crops, etc.
Social Security Death Index	The Social Security Death Index is an index of Social Security Death records. Generally this includes names of deceased Social Security recipients whose relatives applied for Social Security Death Benefits after their passing. Also included in the millions of records are approximately 400,000 railroad retirement records from the early 1900s to 1950s.
Soundex	Phonetic indexing system.
Statute	A law
Testate	Died leaving a valid will.
Vital records	Birth, marriage, and death records.