Custody Note Software — Structured Notes for Defence Work

Custody note software is a purpose-built application for recording structured notes during police custody attendances. In England and Wales, criminal defence solicitors and accredited police station representatives create custody notes to record what happened at the police station — from the moment they receive the callout through to advice given, interview notes, and case outcome.

What is custody note software?

Custody note software replaces blank documents, paper pads, and improvised Word templates with a structured, section-by-section workflow designed around police station attendances. Rather than typing freeform notes after the event, practitioners work through guided fields — client details, offence information, disclosure received, consultation notes, interview record, outcome, and billing — as the attendance progresses.

The result is a consistent, contemporaneous record that serves three purposes: an accurate file note for the firm, evidence of the work done for LAA billing, and a defensible document if the attendance is ever scrutinised.

Who needs custody note software?

Any practitioner who attends police stations for criminal defence work benefits from structured note-taking software. The primary users are:

Criminal defence solicitors — both own-client work and duty rota attendances, where structured notes support LAA claims and firm file standards
Accredited police station representatives — who attend independently and need to produce professional attendance notes for instructing solicitors
Probationary representatives — who benefit from the structured prompts to ensure nothing is missed during early attendances
Firm managers and supervisors — who need consistent file quality across all fee earners

Key features

CustodyNote is Windows desktop software (Windows 10 or later, 64-bit) built specifically for police station defence work. It does not run on Mac or mobile devices. Core features include:

Structured templates — separate workflows for PACE custody attendances, voluntary interviews, and telephone advice
Offline-first architecture — your encrypted database lives on your laptop, so you can work without Wi-Fi at the station
AES-256 encryption — client data is encrypted at rest, protecting sensitive information if the device is lost or stolen
PDF export — generate a complete, professional attendance note for your firm file or instructing solicitor
LAA billing fields — time recording, fee type selection (fixed fee or escape fee), claim reference, and fee calculation built into the attendance record
QuickFile invoicing integration — push attendance billing data directly to your invoicing workflow
Email templates — pre-built templates for disclosure requests, bail confirmations, and officer correspondence
Quick Capture — log incoming callout details instantly before starting the full attendance record
Optional cloud backup — encrypted, UK-hosted (AWS London region), with multi-device sync

How custody note software compares to alternatives

Most practitioners currently use one of three approaches: paper notes, Word templates, or generic practice management systems. Each has significant limitations for police station work.

Paper notes — difficult to read, easy to lose, cannot be searched, and must be typed up later for the file. See our paper notes comparison
Word templates — better than blank documents, but lack guided structure, offline reliability, encryption, and integrated billing. See our Word templates comparison
Practice management systems — designed for case management and accounts, not for live note-taking at a police station. They typically require internet access and lack police station-specific fields

Purpose-built custody note software addresses each of these gaps: it works offline, guides you through every section, encrypts client data, and produces a ready-to-file PDF.

The attendance workflow

A typical attendance in CustodyNote follows this sequence:

Receive the callout — use Quick Capture to log initial details
Create or open the attendance record and enter client and offence information
Record disclosure received and any pre-consultation research
Document the consultation — instructions taken, advice given, client decisions
Record the interview — questions, answers, and significant exchanges
Note the outcome — NFA, charge, bail, or further investigation
Complete billing fields — times, fee type, disbursements
Export the PDF and send to your firm or instructing solicitor

For a detailed guide to what each section should contain, see How to Write Attendance Notes.

Security and data protection

Police station attendance notes contain sensitive personal data — client names, offence details, legal advice, and case outcomes. Custody note software must protect this data properly. CustodyNote uses AES-256 encryption for the local database, optional encrypted cloud backup hosted in the UK (AWS London), and does not transmit unencrypted client data over the internet.

Pricing and trial

CustodyNote offers a free 30-day trial with all features enabled. After the trial, the subscription is £9.99/month (early access pricing). No credit card is required to start. See full pricing details.

Try structured custody notes on your next attendance.

CustodyNote gives you guided templates, offline working, encryption, and PDF export — built for criminal defence. Free for 30 days.

Start Free Trial

Frequently asked questions

What platforms does CustodyNote run on?

CustodyNote runs on Windows 10 or later (64-bit). It is a desktop application, not a web app. It does not currently support Mac, Linux, or mobile devices.

Can I use the software without an internet connection?

Yes. CustodyNote is offline-first. Your encrypted database is stored locally on your laptop. You can create, edit, and export attendance notes without any internet connection. Cloud backup and sync are optional features that work when connectivity is available.

Does CustodyNote support LAA billing?

CustodyNote includes LAA-oriented billing fields — time recording, fee type selection (fixed fee, escape fee), claim reference, and fee calculation. These fields are built into the attendance record so you capture billing data as you work. CustodyNote is not endorsed or approved by the LAA; it supports your billing workflow.

How is client data protected?

The local database is encrypted with AES-256 encryption. If you enable cloud backup, data is encrypted in transit and at rest on UK-hosted servers (AWS London region). CustodyNote does not share client data with third parties.

Can I export my notes?

Yes. Every attendance record can be exported as a structured PDF suitable for your firm file, instructing solicitor, or LAA audit evidence. Download CustodyNote to try the export workflow.