Austrian civil courts become active not on their part, but only due to requests.
A national authority which gathers information for civil processes (for e.g. the criminal police for criminal procedures) does not exist in Austria. Only the occupational detective is authorised in this area. Only an occupational detective can affect the procedure in favor of his client by procurement of evidence.

This involves:

• Procurement of evidence for civil and criminal procedures
• Critical check of police preliminary investigations
• Divorce procedures (proof of a matrimonial offence)
• Welfare service and maintenance disputes
• Determination of the surrounding influences on individuals (drugs - alcohol)
• Control of handling of juveniles
• Tracking down of juveniles
• Searches for  persons entitled to inherit
• Investigations of  slander and deformation of character
• Investigations of marriage swindles
• Witnesses analysis