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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 Canada
Keep the record in layers: what the plan says, the dated event and its source, then what happened next. A fact stops being useful the moment it is written up as a legal conclusion.
Canadian rules can come from federal, provincial or territorial law. Start with the order or plan that applies to you, and keep its exact terms, such as parenting time or decision-making responsibility.
If you need to correct an error, add a dated note rather than editing the original. Keep routine events near the disputed ones so a family lawyer in your province or territory can judge which facts actually matter.
Your province or territory matters
Family law in Canada mixes federal and provincial rules. Say which province or territory you live in and which court is involved. Use the terms from your own order, such as parenting time or decision-making responsibility. If you are not sure whether the Divorce Act or a provincial law applies, ask a lawyer.
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.
Keep what you share short. Include the current order or plan, a factual timeline and the files that matter, and say plainly where something is missing.
Privacy, court and evidence rules differ across Canada. Ask a family lawyer in your province or territory before you file or share records.
Say which province or territory you are in, and whether the Divorce Act or a provincial family law applies. Use the terms from your own order.
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.
Does this replace provincial or territorial guidance?
No. Federal, provincial and territorial family-law rules can interact, and court process differs across provinces and territories. Check your own order and the official guidance for your province or territory.
Sources
Federal, provincial and territorial family-law rules can interact, and court process differs across provinces and territories. The official source gives orientation only. This page is a documentation guide, not legal advice.