Rules change at every border
A record that can be searched, downloaded or purchased in one country may not be freely reusable in another. For each assignment we assess the law governing the source, the place where information is collected, the people concerned, the location of our researchers and systems, and the location of the client receiving the work.
What we do not promise
- Access to restricted records, government systems or personal data that can only be obtained through improper means.
- That a record exists, is complete or is up to date in any given country.
- The same service, sources or response times in every jurisdiction.
How to read a finding
- Official and third-party databases can contain errors, omissions, outdated entries and false matches.
- A negative search result is limited to the source, identifiers, date and method used.
- An observation from a site visit describes conditions at that place and time only.
- What a local source says is assessed for knowledge, proximity and possible bias before it is reported, and is not presented as established fact.
Our geographic focus
Our stated focus is Mexico, South America and the Caribbean, including the Triple Frontier (the Paraguay–Brazil–Argentina border area) and the Oil Quadrilateral (our working term for Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname). These are focus areas, not single legal regions: each country has its own laws, registries and risks and is assessed separately.
Country by country
Before work begins we confirm for the specific country and mandate which registries and courts can be consulted, which fees or authorisations apply, what the data protection rules allow, and what fieldwork is lawful and practical. If a task cannot be done properly, we say so and explain the limit instead of promising it.
Questions about a specific country
If you need to know how these limits apply to a particular country or matter, ask us through the contact page. This page gives general information only; the written proposal and engagement terms define the methods and limits for a specific assignment.