Case Tractability: When to Decline
principle
Core idea
A case is tractable when reaching the objective is plausible given the evidence state and the legal tools available. Declining a case that cannot realistically succeed is professional, not weak, failed investigations erode client trust and can incur cost without outcome. Before any work, also run conflict, legality, and capability checks.
Components
Low-tractability warning signs:
- All funds have passed through a mixer with good anonymity-set practices.
- Suspect used only privacy coins (Monero, Zcash-shielded).
- Evidence windows have already closed (deleted accounts, elapsed retention).
- Suspect is in a non-cooperating jurisdiction with no MLAT route.
- Client cannot produce authority to access the core evidence.
Pre-engagement checks:
- Conflict check: any existing relationship with subject, counterparty, or opposing party? If yes, decline or disclose.
- Legality check: can the work be done lawfully in the relevant jurisdictions, and is the client authorised to commission it?
- Capability check: do you have the chains, tools, and expertise required? If not, refer or decline.
When to use
During triage, before scoping or accepting an engagement, to decide whether to proceed, refer, or decline.
Example
A 3-year-old $45k rug pull whose proceeds went into a well-known mixer within 24 hours, with the subject in a non-cooperating jurisdiction, shows multiple low-tractability signals, attribution is unlikely, so the honest move is to reset expectations or decline.
Related
Five Intake Red Flags, Time-Decay of Crypto Evidence, Monero Is the Practical Ceiling of On-Chain Attribution