INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS AND THE 2010 AMENDMENTS TO THE FEDERAL RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE

摘要

Of all the tasks performed by fire investigators during the course of an investigation, perhaps the least favorite and the one that investigators procrastinate about most often is the writing of the investigative report. There always seems to be a reason to put off the writing of the report until either the supervisor or the client demands its production. The contents and form of the report vary widely, depending upon the agency or company that employs the fire investigator, the scope of the investigator's assignment and the requirements of the client or the forum in which the report will be utilized. This paper will discuss the standards and guidelines applicable to written reports and specifically the requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the amendment to the Federal Rule that is scheduled to take effect December 1, 2010.