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v1.4.215 — UK criminal defence · police station focus
Independent defence solicitor

Police station attendance notes that match how UK custody work actually runs

Fast, structured, PACE-aligned notes for criminal solicitors and accredited police station reps — from disclosure at the custody desk to interview and outcome.

Independent of the police — your defence solicitor works for you

Defence solicitors are completely independent of the police. Your solicitor works for you — not the police, not the CPS. What you discuss in consultation is confidential and professionally protected.

  • Disclosure → advice → interview → outcome in one flow — so instructions and the interview record stay tied together.
  • Built for PACE custody work — not generic SaaS “documents” or meeting templates.
  • Offline at the station, PDF for the file, LAA-oriented billing fields when you are back online.

Windows 10+ · 30-day free trial · No credit card to try

Custody Note dashboard showing Custody Attendance, Voluntary Attendance, Telephone Advice, and Quick Capture cards

The custody desk does not wait

Disclosure arrives in fragments, the client is anxious, and the clock to interview is running — while you are still scribbling half-sentences.

Time pressure

You prioritise disclosure and instructions; the attendance note becomes a job “for later” — often after midnight.

Messy notes

Half-captured disclosure and vague interview summaries do not help your firm file, counsel, or an LAA audit.

Missed detail

Bail conditions, RUI terms, and what was actually said in interview matter when the case returns months on.

Rewriting later

Dictation, Word templates, and generic apps mean retyping the same facts — or relying on memory.

Still writing attendance notes at 2am? — structured sections cut the rewrite loop.

Structured PACE attendance notes — built for UK police station work

CustodyNote replaces handwritten scraps and inconsistent Word files with one structured record from the custody desk to sign-out: disclosure, client instructions, PACE interview, and bail, RUI, charge, or NFA. PACE custody, voluntary interviews, and telephone advice — guided sections so nothing material is missed. For criminal solicitors and accredited reps in England and Wales.

Still writing custody notes manually?

  • Structured notes
  • Works offline
  • Instant PDF output

Why defence teams switch to Custody Note

Disclosure → advice → interview → outcome

One structure that follows real custody flow — so nothing critical drops between the custody suite and the file note.

PACE-real sections, not generic notes

Headings that match UK police station work: disclosure, client instructions, interview summary, bail/RUI/charge — not “meeting minutes.”

Faster handover to file and billing

PDF export and LAA-oriented fields — same format every attendance for duty rota, own client, or rep work.

Why not Word, dictation, or a generic note app?

CustodyNote is purpose-built for UK police station representation — not a blank page or a task list with a law firm logo.

ApproachLimitationCustodyNote
Word templatesStatic — you still assemble each section under pressure; easy to skip headings.Guided PACE-real workflow; consistent structure every attendance.
DictationSlow loop; transcription errors on names, dates, and bail conditions.Structured fields you complete at the station — export when ready.
Generic note appsNo disclosure / interview / custody outcome semantics; often cloud-only.Offline-first; built for disclosure, instructions, interview, outcome.

Still writing custody notes manually?

  • Structured notes
  • Works offline
  • Instant PDF output

Same attendance. Different outcome.

From messy notes to a single structured record you can defend and bill from.

Before

met client @ station??? disclosure unclear advised on interview bail tbc need to type up later + email firm Word doc version 4 final_FINAL.docx

Handwritten scraps, inconsistent Word files, details missing under pressure.

With Custody Note

Custody Note consultation section showing structured checklists for conflict, independence, client welfare, and disclosure

One structured record — PDF and billing fields in one place.

Inside the app

Records, structured notes, and export — built for how you work at the station.

Custody Note records list with search, filters for All, Drafts, Finalised, Archived, and quick actions
All records at a glance
Custody Note consultation section with conflict, independence, client welfare, and disclosure checklists
Structured consultation checklist
Custody Note documents and billing view with status filters and search
Documents & billing

Still writing custody notes manually?

  • Structured notes
  • Works offline
  • Instant PDF output

Who it's for

Whether you're a sole solicitor or part of a larger crime team, Custody Note matches how you actually work at the station.

Independent defence solicitors

Criminal defence solicitors (including duty rota work) who need defensible, structured notes after every police station visit.

Accredited reps

Police station representatives working under supervision who need speed without sacrificing completeness.

Defence firms

Teams standardising attendance notes, billing handover, and PDF output across fee earners.

Before vs after

Paper and generic notes vs structured, offline-first attendance notes.

AreaBeforeWith Custody Note
Note captureScattered Word files, inconsistent headingsStructured sections for custody / voluntary / telephone
ConnectivityCloud-only tools fail when the station Wi‑Fi dropsOffline-first — works without internet, syncs later
HandoverRetyping the same facts for billing and firm filePDF export and billing-oriented fields in one place
SecurityPlain-text notes on diskAES-256 encrypted local database; optional UK-region backup

Still writing custody notes manually?

  • Structured notes
  • Works offline
  • Instant PDF output

Trusted for real custody workflow

From the custody desk and disclosure slot through client instructions, PACE interview, and bail or charge outcomes — when the suite is loud, late, and often offline.

  • Built by a practising criminal solicitor
  • Designed for UK police station representation

Finally a note system that matches how we actually work at 2am in custody — structured without slowing me down.

Defence solicitorSouth East England

Offline-first was non-negotiable. Custody Note is the first tool that did not let us down when the Wi‑Fi failed.

Accredited representativeMetropolitan area

PDF handover to billing used to mean retyping everything. Now the fields are already there for the team.

Crime team fee earnerRegional defence firm

Built for criminal defence practice

Custody Note is developed by Defence Legal Services Ltd (trading as Police Station Agent) — focused on police station representation and tools that fit how practitioners work in custody, not generic SaaS templates.

Still writing custody notes manually?

  • Structured notes
  • Works offline
  • Instant PDF output

How it works

Three steps from instruction to a record you can hand over with confidence.

  1. 1

    Enter key details

    Client, station, allegation, and attendance type — guided fields so nothing important is skipped.

  2. 2

    Generate structured note

    Work through custody, voluntary, or telephone workflows with PACE-oriented structure built in.

  3. 3

    Export or save instantly

    PDF for the firm file; billing and time recording when you are ready — all from one record.

Real-world workflow

Instruction → attendance → structured note → PDF to firm → billing prep — without retyping the same facts into five different places.

  1. 1Open or create a record for the custody or voluntary interview.
  2. 2Work through each section with guided fields — offline if needed.
  3. 3Export PDF for the firm file or peer review.
  4. 4Use billing and time-recording features to support your LAA workflow.

Still writing custody notes manually?

  • Structured notes
  • Works offline
  • Instant PDF output

Everything you need at the station

Purpose-built for police station work — not a generic note-taker.

Custody, Voluntary & Telephone

Full PACE-aligned forms for every attendance type, with section-by-section guidance.

Works Offline

Built for police stations with no internet. Your data saves locally and syncs when you reconnect.

PDF & Billing

Export attendance notes as PDF. LAA-oriented billing support, QuickFile invoicing, and disbursement tracking.

Encrypted & Backed Up

AES-256 local encryption. Optional encrypted cloud backup to AWS London. Sync across your Windows PCs when enabled.

Quick Capture & Email

Log incoming calls instantly. Email officers from templates — disclosure, bail confirmations, follow-ups.

Firms, Reports & Authorities

Track instructing firms, generate monthly reports, and produce authority documents from your records.

What is Custody Note?

Custody Note is Windows 10+ desktop software (not Mac or mobile) built specifically for criminal defence solicitors, practitioners on the duty solicitor scheme, and accredited police station representatives in England and Wales — independent of the police; your professional duty is to the client.

It replaces paper notes and fragmented Word templates with a single structured record for every attendance — PACE custody interviews, voluntary interviews, and telephone advice sessions.

  • Offline-first — works without internet at any police station or custody suite
  • AES-256 encrypted local database with optional UK cloud backup
  • PDF export for court files, firm handover, and peer review
  • LAA-oriented billing fields, time recording, and QuickFile invoicing
  • Email templates for disclosure requests, bail enquiries, and officer correspondence
  • Free 30-day trial — no credit card, all features included

Available for Windows 10+. Download from custodynote.com/download.

Free police station attendance note template (UK)

Same section order practitioners use: attendance, disclosure, advice, interview, outcome — for Word or your case system. Enter your details below; we'll email the template. Prefer full automation? Use the free generator or start a CustodyNote trial for guided workflows, PDF export, and billing support.

Upgrade to CustodyNote for full automation — structured notes, offline use, and instant PDFs.

Still writing custody notes manually?

  • Structured notes
  • Works offline
  • Instant PDF output

Guides for criminal defence practitioners

Start your free trial

Full features for 30 days. No credit card — install and use it on your next attendance.