Free Ontario family court evidence checklist

1. Set up a simple system first

Before tracking anything, decide where things live so nothing gets lost.

• ☐One home for everything — a folder, app, or binder you'll actually keep using.
• ☐A way to capture things as they happen, not from memory weeks later.
• ☐A backup of your originals (cloud, second drive, or printouts).
• ☐A neutral, factual tone — write what happened, not how it made you feel.

2. Parenting time & exchanges

• ☐Scheduled vs. actual parenting time (what the order/agreement says vs. what happened).
• ☐Late, missed, cancelled, or shortened exchanges — with the date, time, and how you were told.
• ☐Who had the children each day and overnight.
• ☐Changes to the schedule and who requested them.
• ☐Pickup/drop-off locations and anyone else present.

3. Communication

• ☐Texts, emails, and parenting-app messages (e.g. OurFamilyWizard) about the children — full threads, not single lines.
• ☐Requests you made and whether they were answered.
• ☐The date and time of each important message.
• ☐Tone and content kept as captured — no edited or cropped originals.

4. The children's wellbeing

• ☐School: attendance, report cards, teacher emails, pickups.
• ☐Medical and dental: appointments, who attended, follow-through on care.
• ☐Activities, childcare, and important milestones.
• ☐Anything that affected the children's routine, health, or wellbeing.

5. Incidents & safety

• ☐What happened, the date and time, the location, and who was present.
• ☐Any police, CAS, or medical involvement (report or file numbers if you have them).
• ☐Photos, screenshots, or documents that support the entry.
• ☐How the incident affected the children — facts, not conclusions.

6. Financial & support

• ☐Child-related expenses and receipts (s. 7 / special or extraordinary expenses).
• ☐Support paid or received, with dates and amounts.
• ☐Income documents you'll need for disclosure (pay stubs, tax returns, Notices of Assessment).
• ☐Requests for disclosure and responses.

7. Court documents & deadlines

• ☐Orders, endorsements, agreements, and minutes of settlement.
• ☐Forms filed and served, and proof of service.
• ☐Upcoming court dates, conferences, and filing deadlines.
• ☐Anything you've been ordered or agreed to do, and whether it's done.

For every piece of evidence, answer four questions

This is what turns a pile of files into a record a court can follow.

• ☐What is it? (a screenshot, email, photo, receipt, record)
• ☐When is it from? (the date it was created or received)
• ☐Where is the original kept? (your phone, a Drive folder, a binder)
• ☐What does it relate to? (which issue or which event)

What not to write

A factual record is far more persuasive than an angry one.

• ✕Opinions, insults, or name-calling — they undermine an otherwise credible record.
• ✕Guesses presented as facts. If you're unsure, write what you actually observed.
• ✕Edited, cropped, or annotated originals — keep the untouched copy and work from duplicates.
• ✕Recording people without knowing the law — when in doubt, ask a lawyer or paralegal.