Records, journal, diary

[greg253]

Will try to be brief.. in middle of increasingly irrational, ugly divorce from wife of 15 yrs (her choice after her affair).

Kids: Classic parental alienation of our teen daughter, roughly shared custody of younger boys although constant drama and emotional stress as she alludes that she is 'not content' with the arrangement and may change her mind. Her behavior and communication is at times very unstable, replete with lies (often witnessed by others). Frequently this is included in emails and other written communication (not in her best interest I would think).

My question is to journals/diaries. I have been very meticulous and started by using a Word doc. I got concerned this may not be admissible (God forbid it comes to that) so went to a written journal last few months. Problem is my handwriting is horrible and it was far preferable to be able to use the search function and formatting of tidier electronic document.

Is one better than the other or more admissible? I expect the ability to go back and change elec version would make it less so but if there was something that tracked changes or times-tamped entries that should trump.

I'd like to find some sort of online format to record the journal that would be admissible as I spend a lot of time on the road and accessibility is an issue. Anyone?

tx.

[NBDad]

In this day and age I don't think it makes a lot of difference.

Keeping a journal is a good idea to help you keep the facts, dates, etc straight, but you need to keep in mind that it's not the journal itself that will make or break your case.....it's the supporting documentation.

(ie. that which backs up the set of facts you laid out in your journal).

Otherwise your journal is just YOUR version of events. He said - She said in other words.

One suggestion: why not open a gmail/hotmail account for this purpose, and then simply write yourself an email instead of an entry in a word doc? That way the email will get time stamped and eliminate your concerns with that. (and you can print them out, and slap them in a binder if you need to)

[greg253]

Agreed...which is where her actions (witnessed by others) and emails come into play. But given a simple 'he said, she said' scenario if I've gone to pains of recording everything it has to carry a bit more weight than her simply saying something off the top of her head, no? She has a mind-boggling sense of entitlement (esp given her affair) and seems to think if she says something it is automatic fact, when in many cases it is a ludicrous lie.

Like I say.. hoping it doesn't come to all this but like to be prepared either way.

Email... thought of this too and having someone else suggest it seems to make it more palatable Spent about 3 hours last night looking for an online website to do what is pretty much same as emailing myself.

Tx...

[dadtotheend]

One thing that happens in this nightmare is that some folks, myself included, will understandably leave no stone unturned to ensure they do everything they can to achieve a good outcome in their custody battle.

Sometimes, you can overanalyze s**t. Don't worry about written vs electronic records. You are doing the right thing keeping them. You probably won't use them.

It's one of the sad parts of divorce with kids. You micromanage EVERYTHING.

[NBDad]

I hear ya...better safe than sorry. And yes, if you are able to substantiate some of the items in your journal, it gives those items that you may NOT have documentation to backup just that much more credibility.

I work in IT...email is usually the first thing that pops into my head. Using a word doc is fine and good, but you chance losing it should your computer crash. At least with gmail/etc the chances of that happening are much less.

G/L.

[greg253]

Google docs is great but no diff than any other word doc. If I was ruling on admissibility or on other 'side of table' I woudl have concerns about ability to amend document well after fact. Regardless as said above, it is not much beyond he said she said, but having made the effort to document things shows something.. Not sure what to call it, but trying to maintain some standard of truth in recollection has to count for something.

Email seems to be best way and using gmail filters (tag something in subject line) keeps it tidy, managed with quick ability to print and compile. Hopefully never needed..

Thanks.