Court Documentation

CommonGround was built from the ground up with court admissibility in mind. Every piece of data created on the platform is timestamped, attributed to a specific user, and protected by cryptographic verification that proves records have not been tampered with.

• SHA-256 tamper-proof verification on every record and export.
• Complete chain of custody showing who created, viewed, and modified each record.
• Precise timestamps on every action, down to the second.
• Immutable audit logs that cannot be edited or deleted by either parent.
• Professional-grade PDF exports formatted for legal proceedings.

Think of SHA-256 verification as a digital fingerprint for your records. When a record is created, the system generates a unique code based on its exact contents. If even one character in the record were changed, the verification code would be completely different, instantly proving the record has been altered.

This means that when you export your records for court, the judge, attorney, or guardian ad litem can independently verify that the documents are authentic and unmodified. It is the same technology used by banks and government agencies to protect sensitive data.

CommonGround offers five specialized export types, each designed for a specific legal purpose. You can generate any of these independently or combine them into a comprehensive package.

Generating a court-ready export takes just a few steps. Each export is compiled as a professional PDF with verification codes and formatted for legal use.

1. 1Navigate to the Exports section from your family file dashboard.
2. 2Choose the export type (or select multiple types for a combined package).
3. 3Select the date range you want the export to cover.
4. 4Choose which sections and data points to include or exclude.
5. 5Tap "Generate PDF" and wait for the document to compile.
6. 6Download the PDF or share it directly with your attorney through the Professional Portal.

CommonGround includes a Professional Portal that allows you to grant your attorney secure, read-only access to your case records. This eliminates the back-and-forth of emailing documents and ensures your attorney always has the most current information.

• Invite your attorney by email through the Professional Access section.
• Set time-limited access windows (e.g., access expires after 30 days).
• Attorneys receive read-only access. They cannot modify any records.
• All attorney activity is logged, creating a transparent access history.
• Revoke access at any time from your settings.

CommonGround exports have been accepted in family courts across all 50 states. The combination of SHA-256 verification, detailed timestamps, and chain-of-custody documentation meets the evidentiary standards that courts require for digital records.

That said, court requirements can vary by jurisdiction and judge. Always discuss your specific situation with your attorney to ensure CommonGround exports meet the requirements in your case.

The quality of your court documentation depends on how consistently you use the platform. Here are best practices for maintaining strong records.

1. 1Export regularly. Generate exports monthly or quarterly so you always have up-to-date records available.
2. 2Keep all records current. Log expenses promptly, confirm exchanges on time, and respond to messages through the platform.
3. 3Use ARIA to maintain a good-faith communication record. Let ARIA help you phrase messages constructively, which demonstrates cooperative intent.
4. 4Document everything in the platform. Courts give more weight to records created in real time than to after-the-fact summaries.
5. 5Review your exports for completeness before submitting them to your attorney or the court.