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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 the UK
Three things need to stay separate in a record. What the arrangement says, what actually happened, and the file that shows it. Blur them together and a reader has to take your word for it. Keep them apart and the record speaks for itself.
The UK is not one family-law system. England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own rules, forms and vocabulary. Use the words that appear in your own order or agreement rather than a term borrowed from somewhere else.
Keep the complete source file, not a crop of it. Write events in the order they happened, and say plainly where something is missing or unclear. A family solicitor can work with a record like that. They cannot work with a reconstruction.
Which part of the UK your case is in
England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own family courts and rules. Say which one your case is in, and use the same words your order or plan uses. Only mention addresses or schools when they help explain what happened. Before you treat a private timeline as a court document, check the rules with a solicitor.
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 and leave the original untouched. Take out any private details the reader does not need.
Check that every important sentence links back to a date or a source. If one does not, rewrite the sentence rather than filling the gap with a guess.
Family law is different in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Make clear which one your case is in, and ask a family solicitor what the court rules let you share.
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 cover Scotland and Northern Ireland too?
No. England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate family-law systems, forms and terms. Use this page to keep your own record in order, and get advice from someone who works in your part of the UK.
Sources
England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate family-law systems, forms and terms. The official source gives orientation only. This page is a documentation guide, not legal advice.