Practice and career

What should go in a police station attendance note?

What do firms expect to see in a rep's attendance note?

Asked by PoliceStationRepUK team

1 answer

• Every firm has its own template, but a good attendance note will normally cover: your times of arrival, consultation, interview and departure; the custody record points you checked; what you got from the police, the client and any third party; the disclosure given and anything held back; your assessment, the advice you gave and why; how you dealt with the police, including any representations; the client's decision; what happened in interview; and the outcome, whether that's bail, release under investigation or charge. Those headings follow the PSRAS portfolio criteria. Get your times right, because the firm relies on them for the legal aid claim. Custody Note (custodynote.com), an attendance note app built for reps, sets out these headings and records the timings as you go, which some reps find useful. Keep notes confidential, send them through the firm's secure channel, and never put client or case details on forums or messaging groups.

  Sources: SRA: PSRAS assessment guidelines; PACE Code C (2023), para 2.4

  PoliceStationRepUK team

Peer discussion only, not legal advice. Check current rules and guidance.

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