Oya Shield

Timestamp

The recorded date and time attached to an entry or file. Automatic timestamps, applied when an entry is created, are stronger than dates typed by hand.

What timestamp means

A timestamp is the recorded date and time attached to an entry, a photo, or a file. In documentation it does quiet but essential work: it fixes when something was recorded, which is what makes an entry contemporaneous and what lets a series of entries form a datable pattern.

There is an important difference between a timestamp applied automatically when an entry is created and a date typed in by hand. A hand-entered date proves nothing about when the note was actually written; it could have been backdated. An automatic timestamp, generated by the system at the moment of entry, is far harder to dispute and therefore carries more weight.

Example: an entry that the system stamped the evening an incident occurred supports the claim that you logged it right away. A note simply headed with last Tuesday's date, typed whenever, does not carry the same assurance.

Automatic timestamps combined with a preserved edit history are what let a record stand behind not just what it says but when it was said, though how much weight any of it gets remains a jurisdiction-specific question for your attorney.

Related terms

Contemporaneous record
A record made at or near the time of the event it describes. Contemporaneous entries are generally treated as more reliable than accounts reconstructed weeks or months later.
Tamper-evident record
A record designed so changes leave a visible trace: originals preserved, amendments timestamped, deletions marked. It answers the credibility question every custody record eventually faces.
Custody journal / Custody log
A dated, factual record of custody-related events: exchanges, missed visits, medical and school matters, incidents, and expenses. Its value rests on consistency, factual tone, and an unaltered history.

Keep reading: How to Keep a Custody Journal You’ll Actually Maintain, or return to the full glossary.

This definition is general information, not legal advice. Terms and their exact meanings vary by state, county, and case; for how this concept applies to your situation, consult a qualified family-law attorney.