Build a case chronology that tells your story, in order.
A pile of messages, letters and half-remembered dates is hard to explain. Case Timeline helps you build a clear chronology, also called a case timeline, that puts it all in order, so you can show a lawyer, a court or an insurer exactly what happened, and when.
Build a timeline now. It sorts itself.
Add an event with a date, a short title and an optional note. Tag what kind of thing it was. Watch it slot into the right place, in date order.
Add an event
Just the facts and the date. No opinion needed.
Everything here happens in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded or saved, and it is gone when you close the tab, unless you export it yourself. Print / PDF, Word and CSV save a copy to your device, and Save file downloads a .json you can load back in any time using Load saved file.
Already have an account? Your Save file (.json) and CSV export both import straight into the cloud editor. Open your account, open a timeline, and use the editor's Import button, so nothing has to be retyped.
Three steps, and you have something to hand over.
No account, no jargon, no learning curve. If you can remember it, you can record it.
Drop in the events
A date, a short title, and a note if you want one. Pull them from messages, emails, letters, receipts, your own memory. If a date is rough, write the note "approximately" and move on.
It orders itself
Each event slots into place in date order as you add it, grouped by year. You see your story take shape instead of staring at a scattered pile.
Export and share
Turn it into a clean, print-friendly summary you can save as a PDF, email to a lawyer, or bring to court. A draft chronology in hand makes that first appointment count.
For the moment you have to explain what happened.
Different matters, the same need: getting the events straight, in order, in plain language.
Family law
Separation date, parenting changes, key incidents and orders. A draft chronology is one of the first things a family lawyer asks for.
DV and AVO matters
Document incidents with dates and times. A clear record of what happened, and when, is central to an application or a response.
Insurance and AFCA disputes
A claims diary or clear timeline of calls, letters and decisions helps when you escalate to internal dispute resolution or AFCA.
Personal injury
The day it happened, the treatments, the time off, the back and forth. The detail that makes a claim clear.
Tenancy
Repairs requested, notices given, inspections and breaches. The dated record a tribunal will want to follow.
Workplace and complaints
Incidents, reports you made, responses, escalations. A timeline turns a tangle of events into a complaint someone can act on.
Your information never leaves your device.
This matters most when the story is a hard one. The builder runs entirely in your browser. We never see what you type, there is no upload and no copy on a server. Nothing is saved unless you choose to export or save a file yourself. Close the tab and it is gone. The information stays yours.
A tool to organise, not legal advice.
Case Timeline helps you put your own information in order. It is not legal advice and does not replace a lawyer. It cannot tell you what your rights are or what to do in your matter. For advice about your situation, speak to a qualified lawyer, Legal Aid, or a community legal centre. If you or someone else is in danger, call 000.
Where this comes from
The official bodies behind the general information on this site, so you can check any of it yourself rather than take our word for it:
- Legal Aid NSW, the state body that provides free legal information, advice and representation across family law, civil and criminal matters.
- Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the court that deals with most family law matters outside Western Australia, and publishes its own forms and procedural material.
- Local Court of NSW, the court that hears a broad range of everyday matters in New South Wales, and publishes its own information for people appearing there.
- Wikipedia: Chronology, a general explanation of what a chronology is and how events are arranged in order.
Questions, answered plainly.
Is this legal advice?
No. Case Timeline is a tool to help you organise your own information into a clear order. It is not legal advice and does not replace a lawyer. For advice about your situation, speak to a qualified lawyer or a service like Legal Aid or a community legal centre.
Is my information private?
Yes. The builder runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded to us or anyone else. Nothing is saved unless you choose Print / PDF or Save file yourself. If you close the tab without doing either, the information is gone.
What is a chronology, exactly?
A chronology sets out the key events of your matter in date order, so a reader can follow your story at a glance. Lawyers and courts often ask for one. A good one sticks to facts and dates, leaves out opinion and argument, and can note the document that proves each event.
What if I am not sure of a date?
That is fine and very common. Put your best estimate and write "approximately" in the note, or use a date range. Recording it roughly is far better than leaving it out. For something someone said, courts often use the phrase "words to the effect of".
Can I save or print it?
Yes, several ways. Print / PDF opens a clean, print-friendly version in a new tab that you can save as a PDF or bring to court. Word downloads a .doc chronology table in the Date, What happened, Source format courts expect, ready to edit. CSV downloads a spreadsheet. Save file downloads a .json file to your device that you can reload any time using Load saved file in the builder. Nothing is uploaded, whichever way you choose.
Does it cost anything?
The builder on this page is completely free, with no account needed. An optional one-time cloud backup lets you save your timelines to an account and reach them from another device, but you never need it to build, print or export your chronology.
Guides and a free template.
Plain-English help for putting your chronology together, and a blank template to start from.
Free chronology template
The Date, What happened, Source format that lawyers and courts expect. Build it online, or download it as Word or PDF.
How to write a chronology for court
A short, step-by-step method for a clear, court-ready chronology.
Chronology for family court
What to include, and what to leave out, for a family-law matter.
Case Information Affidavit
What it is in the Family Court of WA, and how a chronology helps you complete it.
How long CCTV keeps footage
Retention runs days to weeks, and the recorder never stops overwriting. The steps that preserve footage in time.
You already know your story. Let's get it in order.
Build a timeline now, or read the step-by-step guide first.