The entry template
Copy this structure and use it for every entry, every time. Consistency is what makes a journal credible:
- **Date & time of event:** (when it happened — not when you wrote it; if approximate, say so)
- **Category:** (see list below)
- **Child(ren):**
- **Location:**
- **What happened:** (facts only — what a camera would have seen and a recorder heard)
- **Who was present:**
- **Exact words:** (only if quoting precisely; otherwise summarize and say you're summarizing)
- **Evidence attached:** (screenshot / photo / receipt / email — name each)
Two optional fields earn their place in higher-conflict situations: **Impact on child** (observable behavior only: "cried at drop-off," not "was traumatized") and **Follow-up needed** ("request receipt," "confirm makeup time in writing").
Categories that keep a journal reviewable
Pick from a fixed category list rather than inventing labels per entry — patterns only surface when entries share categories:
- Handover / exchange (including missed and late)
- Parenting time (planned vs actual, changes, makeup time)
- Communication issue
- Expense (amount, receipt, reimbursement status)
- School
- Medical
- Child wellbeing / concern
- Agreement or order issue
This mirrors the category set in Casewell, so if you outgrow the manual version, your habits transfer directly.
One worked example
**Date & time:** Fri Mar 6, 2026, 5:00 pm scheduled / 5:52 pm actual
**Category:** Handover — late pickup. **Child:** M. **Location:** School parking lot.
**What happened:** Scheduled pickup 5:00 pm per parenting plan. J arrived 5:52 pm. No message before 5:00. Text received 5:41: "traffic." M waited inside with me.
**Who was present:** Me, M, school staff member (front desk).
**Evidence attached:** Screenshot of 5:41 text; photo of parking lot clock display.
Notice what's absent: no "as usual," no "he doesn't care," no motive. The entry doesn't argue — it lets the pattern argue, months from now, across every entry like it. More worked entries, including expense and wellbeing examples, are in custody journal examples.
Rules that keep the template working
- Write within 24 hours; note the writing date if it isn't the event date. Never backdate.
- One event per entry. Three incidents on Tuesday = three entries.
- Log neutral and positive events too — a journal that only records failures reads as a grievance file, not a record.
- Don't editorialize. If you must vent, vent somewhere that isn't the journal.
- Review monthly: not to relitigate, but to catch patterns worth mentioning to a professional.
If keeping this up manually starts to slip — that's the signal the app version is worth 14 free days of your time. Every field in this template is a prompt in Casewell, with the evidence attached to the entry instead of scattered across your phone.
What should a custody journal template include?
Date and time of the event, category, child, location, factual description, people present, exact quotes where relevant, and a list of attached evidence. Optional: observable impact on the child and follow-up needed.
Should I keep a custody journal on paper or digitally?
Digital wins on timestamps, attachments, backups, and searchability; paper works if you'll genuinely maintain it. Either way, the same structure applies — consistency matters more than the medium.
How often should I write in a custody journal?
Whenever something schedule-, expense-, or wellbeing-relevant happens — within 24 hours while details are fresh. Many parents settle into a two-minute end-of-day habit on exchange days.
How Casewell can help
Casewell helps you keep calm, timestamped, organized documentation with attachments and PDF exports for attorney review, family court preparation, mediation, or your own records.
