As well as the usual due diligence questions (see the "Due Diligence - Over 1000 key questions" resource on the Business Sale Report website), you need to examine exactly what went wrong with the business, and do your calculations for how much capital you will need to invest to turn the company around once you have bought the assets.
The firm had already taken losses on a large deal, a hostile takeover of the fashion company Kellwood, which Sun Capital had acquired without the usual due diligence.
Trott looked in particularly splendid fettle, marking his crease with his usual copious diligence and clipping assertively off his legs - when these two things are happening it is known that all if right with the world.
"Unfortunately, the process was extremely rushed and it was not possible to exercise the usual due diligence before signing these contracts," White said in a report to the last meeting of Hertfordshire police authority.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Walgreens was so eager to cement the relationship that it lent Theranos money, acquired warrants to buy Theranos stock and skipped its usual due diligence when evaluating a pharmacy partner.
Andrew White, the chief executive of the Hertfordshire police authority, said he had no choice but to sign off new contracts without doing the usual due diligence after being told that if they were not in place by the middle of July, there would be no access to forensic services in October.
But even though they won't recommend duds, be sure to still conduct your usual due diligence.
And Wilson, who deals more in labours of love than conventional records these days, brings his usual sincerity and diligence.
What's more, Mr. Murdoch said, British Sky Broadcasting's board had vetted his son with more diligence than usual, not less.
"The usual credit check and due diligence procedures in place at Merrill Lynch were not followed with respect to" Mr. Gordon's transactions, Jane Levine, an assistant United States attorney in Manhattan, wrote in the letter to Canadian officials.
