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Select the closest event type. The result gives you a practical recording checklist and the best next Casewell resource.
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How to read this in Australia
A record earns its weight by staying factual. Note what was planned, note what took place, and attach the file or message that supports the note.
Start from the parenting order, plan or written agreement now in force. Most family law here is federal, though Western Australia follows a different court path in some cases. Use the words that appear in your own papers.
Keep the good days in the private record alongside the difficult ones. When a review is needed, select only the entries that answer the question in front of you. That is what lets an Australian family lawyer find the key facts quickly.
Your state, territory and court matter
Most Australian family law is federal. Western Australia is the exception, with its own Family Court. Say where you live and which court is involved. Be clear whether your arrangement is a parenting order, a parenting plan or a written agreement, and use its exact words. Keep court papers, family dispute resolution records and everyday notes in separate folders.
Use the smallest complete record
A useful entry does not need to be long. It needs to be complete enough that a future reader can see the expectation, the observable event, the evidence and the practical effect. If you only know part of the story, record the gap plainly instead of filling it with a guess.
Separate facts from interpretation
Write what you observed first: times, messages, places, receipts, screenshots and agreed arrangements. Add interpretation only as a labelled note, and only when it helps explain why the event may matter. This keeps the record more precise and easier to review.
Attach evidence to the event it explains
Screenshots, receipts and photos are most useful when they sit beside the record they support. Name what each file shows and what it does not show. A screenshot can prove a message was sent. It may not prove the message was read.
Choose a next action, not just a category
After recording the event, decide whether the next step is to keep a source, send a brief practical reply, update the timeline, ask for expert advice or take a safety action. If no action is needed, say so and close the entry.
Before you share your record
Everything above is about keeping your own record. Before you show any of it to someone else, a few extra steps help.
Work from a copy when someone needs to review the record. Include the current order or plan, a short timeline and a few clearly named files.
Check your current orders and the court rules before you send anything. An Australian family lawyer can tell you what belongs in an affidavit and what should stay private.
Say which state or territory you are in and which court is involved. Take extra care in Western Australia, which has its own Family Court.
Court timeline
Turn your screenshots into a court timeline
Have the messages and receipts as screenshots? Casewell reads them, puts them in date order and turns them into a neutral court chronology with an exhibit pack. Try it free, and pay once if you download the documents.
Or keep a dated record as things happen in the Casewell app.
Should I document small issues?
Document everyday and small issues when they form part of a consistent record or show a pattern. A complete record is usually more useful than one that only captures conflict.
Can this tell me what will matter legally?
No. It helps you organize facts and supporting material. A qualified expert decides what is relevant to your situation.
Where should I keep the final record?
Keep the entry in a private custody journal with the supporting screenshots, receipts or files attached to the same event.
Is this a court form or affidavit?
No. It explains how to keep your own factual record. Court rules and your lawyer decide how any of it is prepared or used in a case.
Sources
Federal family law supplies the broad framework, while Western Australia and some related processes have distinct pathways. The official source gives orientation only. This page is a documentation guide, not legal advice.