Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why do I need to hire an expert like you? Hiring an independent expert like William Paatalo offers multiple advantages:

• Cost-effective: It is often more economical to retain an investigator with specialized knowledge than to have an attorney perform extensive research outside their expertise.
• Court credibility: Independent third-party experts carry greater weight in judicial proceedings.
• Efficiency: Leveraging years of experience and thousands of document reviews, we can identify critical issues and fraudulent activity more quickly than legal teams alone.
• Focus: We specialize exclusively in mortgage, securitization, and chain of title issues—areas where most legal professionals may lack training or depth.

Q2: We’ve used your administrative process and the alleged creditor is now in dishonored default. Now what?

A dishonored or unanswered administrative notice creates an evidentiary record of default by operation of law. This can become a powerful tool for the homeowner to:

• Assert affirmative defenses in foreclosure or bankruptcy proceedings.
• Present evidence of creditor misconduct or lack of standing.
• File a quiet title action, especially when backed by a notarized affidavit of findings.
• Use the administrative default as part of a judicial estoppel or collateral attack if false statements have been made in court.
• Present documentation to regulatory bodies (CFPB, State AGs, etc.) or record in public land records as evidence of dispute.

Clients are strongly encouraged to consult with legal counsel at this stage to determine the best litigation or administrative pathway forward based on the documentation now in hand.

Q3: Do you know of any attorneys you can refer me to?

Possibly. While I do not serve as a formal referral network, I’ve developed professional relationships with numerous attorneys across the country over the past 15 years. Based on your jurisdiction and the nature of your case, it’s very possible that I may know someone who aligns with your legal needs. We can discuss this upon completion of my investigation and administrative findings.

Q4: How many cases have you won?

I don’t win cases—that role belongs to your attorney and the court. My role is to support legal outcomes by conducting thorough, independent investigations and presenting critical evidence. I provide documentation, analysis, affidavits, and expert findings that help expose factual and legal inconsistencies in the opposing party’s case. This includes identifying what documentation exists—and what is conspicuously absent—that may undermine the opposition’s legal standing.

While many of the cases I’ve contributed to have resulted in settlements, dismissals, or favorable judgments, I don’t represent clients or argue legal points in court. I support those outcomes by equipping attorneys and their clients with evidentiary ammunition.

Q5: If I hire you, what will you be able to find or detect?

Surprisingly, this is one of the most common questions I receive. The honest answer is—I don’t know until I begin the investigation. Every case is different. Some reveal blatant fraud, broken chains of title, or clear evidence of standing issues. Others expose subtler inconsistencies or missing documentation that may prove critical later. My role is to dig, document, and analyze without preconceived assumptions. The true value of an investigation lies in what is verifiable—and in exposing what the opposing party often cannot prove.

Though I do not make any guarantees regarding the outcome of any investigation, I can say with near certainty that out of the 1,000+ cases I’ve investigated, only about 15 revealed no deficiencies or anomalies.