How to Document Incidents for Family Court
Proper incident documentation can be crucial evidence in custody cases. Learn how to create credible, detailed records that courts trust.
What to Document
Custody Exchange Issues
Late arrivals, no-shows, condition of child at exchange, intoxication concerns, handoff conflicts
Communication Problems
Unresponsive to important messages, hostile communication, violations of court orders
Child Welfare Concerns
Safety issues, neglect signs, inappropriate behavior, parental alienation attempts
Positive Interactions
Successful co-parenting, positive exchanges, collaborative problem-solving, child's wellbeing
The 5 W's Method
Use this structure for every incident entry:
WHO was involved?
List all people present: parents, child, witnesses, third parties
WHAT happened?
Objective description of events, actions, and statements
WHEN did it occur?
Specific date and time (as precise as possible)
WHERE did it happen?
Location (address, public place, school, etc.)
WHY does it matter?
Relevance to custody, child's wellbeing, or court orders
Good Example Entry
Date: March 15, 2025, 6:45 PM
Other parent arrived 45 minutes late for custody exchange at McDonald's parking lot (123 Main St). Child was visibly upset and hungry. Other parent stated car broke down but no explanation for not calling. This is the third late pickup this month (previous: March 1, March 8). Child missed dinner and homework time.
Evidence: Text sent at 6:00 PM asking for ETA (no response), photo of child's upset expression
Poor Example Entry
He was late AGAIN! He's always doing this and doesn't care about our child. This proves he's a terrible parent and the court should see it.
Problems: Emotional language, no specific time, no facts, no evidence, appears biased
Documentation Tools
Use a dedicated platform like ThreadLock that provides:
- AI-powered prompts asking the right questions (who, what, when, where, why)
- Automatic date and time stamping
- Ability to attach photos, texts, emails to each entry
- Secure, tamper-evident storage
- Export to PDF for court submission
FAQs
What should I include when documenting an incident?
Include the date, time, location, who was present, what happened (objective description), any witnesses, and supporting evidence (photos, texts, emails). Write objectively, focusing on facts rather than emotions or interpretations.
How soon after an incident should I document it?
Document incidents as soon as possible while details are fresh, ideally within 24 hours. Immediate documentation is more credible and accurate than entries created weeks or months later.
Should I document positive interactions too?
Yes. Document both positive and negative interactions to create a balanced, credible record. Courts value honesty. A journal showing only problems appears biased, while one showing both positives and negatives demonstrates objectivity.
Document Incidents with ThreadLock
ThreadLock's AI-powered journal prompts help you capture complete incident details every time. Never forget important information.
Start Documenting Incidents