What family law professionals usually want to see
Attorneys and mediators tend to ask for the full conversation, not selected highlights, plus a short list of the messages that matter most. Unedited context helps them assess tone and patterns, and a short list helps them find the key moments without reading months of logistics.
- Agreements about schedules, holidays and pickup times
- Custody exchanges that went smoothly, late or not at all
- Missed appointments, school events or medical visits
- Payments or requests for child support and shared expenses
- Acknowledgments, such as 'got it' or 'I agree'
Tag the moments, keep the whole record
ScanMyChat lets you tag individual messages as custody exchange, missed appointment, payment, agreement, acknowledgment, dispute, threat or a custom label. The package includes a case timeline listing those tagged messages with page references into the full Bates-stamped transcript, so every highlight can be checked against its surrounding context.
Tagging is your organization, not a finding of fact. Keep labels neutral and descriptive, which tends to read better to everyone involved.
Protect your children's privacy
Co-parenting chats are full of names, schools and phone numbers. Redaction in ScanMyChat is non-destructive: you can hide phone numbers, emails, custom terms such as a child's name, or whole message ranges in the report. Your original export is untouched, and the integrity manifest notes that a redacted copy was produced, so nobody is surprised later.
Know what the package does and does not do
The package organizes and documents the chat. Authentication, meaning showing the messages are genuine and who sent them, generally depends on testimony and other evidence, and admissibility is up to the court under local rules. ScanMyChat cannot recover deleted messages or prove authorship, and it is not legal advice. Timestamps appear as exported, in the phone's local time, which matters if either parent traveled across time zones.
Frequently asked
Should I send my lawyer screenshots or the full chat?
Ask your lawyer, but many prefer the full export because it shows context. You can still provide a timeline of key messages alongside it.
Can I hide my child's name in the report?
Yes. Add the name as a custom redaction term. It is redacted in the derived report only; your original file is not changed.
Is this a substitute for my attorney?
No. ScanMyChat is an organization tool, not legal advice. Your attorney decides what to file and how.
What if my ex and I exported the same chat separately?
Two exports of the same chat can differ slightly, for example in time zone settings or which media was included. Hashes will differ between files, so note which export each package came from.
Related guides
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Evidence rules vary by jurisdiction — consult an attorney about your matter.