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Custody Note Blog

Practical articles on police station representation, PACE, attendance notes, legal aid, and custody records — written for criminal defence solicitors and accredited representatives in England and Wales.

Release Notes

What's New in Custody Note v1.9.70

Officer Emails: Open Outlook now places the current email-box text into Outlook as the message body (Outlook Web when the URL fits; Outlook desktop .eml draft when it does not)

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Release Notes

What's New in Custody Note v1.9.66

Case Assessment: Ask AI — tick to open a multi-turn Q&A session for any legal question (follow-ups stay open until you close); Copy or Append to Law / Elements only when you choose

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Release Notes

What's New in Custody Note v1.9.65

Case Assessment: optional AI fill for Law / Elements of offence (actus reus, mens rea, defences, sentencing) using your own OpenAI API key — review before insert; checkbox never appears on the PDF

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Release Notes

What's New in Custody Note v1.9.56

QuickFile billing: fixed client create so CompanyName is sent in the correct ClientDetails fields (invalid Email/ClientType no longer break Send Bill for new firms)

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Release Notes

What's New in Custody Note v1.9.50

Cross-device sync: one canonical encryption key per licence — fixes records still not syncing when two computers each had their own key and overwrote cloud escrow

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Release Notes

What's New in Custody Note v1.9.49

Cross-device sync: automatic encryption key recovery from cloud when opening the app on a second computer — fixes records not appearing because each PC had its own key

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Release Notes

What's New in Custody Note v1.9.46

Licence: offline validation grace extended from 7 to 60 days — paid subscriptions no longer treated as expired just because the app has not been opened recently

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Release Notes

What's New in Custody Note v1.9.45

Fix: Home screen LAA form cards (CRM1, CRM2, CRM3, Applicant Declaration) now open a visible attendance picker — previously the modal opened off-screen when the home page was scrolled

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Release Notes

What's New in Custody Note v1.9.43

Fix: LAA Declaration PDF now always includes the official CRM2 client declaration text — uses bundled reference data and hardcoded fallback when the wording module is unavailable

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App Features

Settings and Customisation in Custody Note

Custody Note's settings allow you to configure default values for your practice — firm name, billing preferences, and note defaults — so that each new attendance note starts with your information already in place.

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Legal Aid

How Legal Aid Applies at the Police Station

Legal aid at the police station is unlike legal aid for court proceedings: it is not means-tested, it covers both telephone advice and physical attendance, and it operates through the duty solicitor scheme. Here is how it works in practice.

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App Features

Fees and LAA Billing in Custody Note

The Time Recording & Fees section brings together every time entry from across the attendance and presents it as a structured billing record. Here is how to use it to support your LAA police station claims.

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App Features

Recording the Outcome in Custody Note

Once the interview is complete, the custody sergeant will make a decision about the client's future. The Outcome section in Custody Note captures that decision and the circumstances surrounding it.

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Custody Records

Common Mistakes in Custody Records

The custody record is an official document maintained throughout a suspect's detention. Mistakes — whether through carelessness or procedural failure — can have significant implications for a case. Here is what representatives should look for on arrival.

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App Features

The Consultation Section: Recording Your Advice

The consultation with your client is the most legally sensitive part of any police station attendance. Custody Note's Consultation section gives you a structured way to record the advice given without compromising privilege.

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PACE

Understanding PACE in Police Interviews

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its Codes of Practice form the legal framework for every police interview in England and Wales. Here is a concise guide to the provisions most relevant to police station representatives.

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App Features

How Custody Note Handles Disclosure

Disclosure at the police station is often limited and sometimes misleading. The Disclosure section in Custody Note gives you a structured place to record exactly what was — and was not — provided by the investigating officers.

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Police Interviews

Do You Always Need a Solicitor in Interview?

The right to legal advice at the police station exists in all cases. But does every suspect need a solicitor present during interview? Understanding when legal representation is most critical helps clients make an informed decision.

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App Features

The Reference Section: Client and Case Details

The Reference section is the first section in every Custody Note attendance. It captures the identifying information that anchors the entire record — client details, the custody suite, instructing firm, and the alleged offences.

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App Features

A First Look at the Custody Note App

Custody Note is purpose-built attendance note software for criminal defence solicitors and accredited police station representatives. Here is what you see when you first open it.

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These articles are written for criminal defence practitioners and are intended as general information only. They do not constitute legal advice. Solicitors and accredited representatives should exercise their own professional judgment in each case.