Report Writing and Recordkeeping
What the exam tests
This domain tests whether your file can be understood months later by a client, prosecutor, or court. Kentucky licensees should write contemporaneous, factual, and source-attributed reports, and retain records under a consistent policy.
Core rules
- Write soon after the event; note date, time, location, people present, and source of each fact.
- Separate observation, statement, and inference: “I saw,” “the witness said,” and “I conclude” are different.
- Use a chronological narrative and exhibit log; identify attachments by unique number.
- Avoid editorial language, legal conclusions, and unnecessary personal data.
- Preserve drafts, notes, recordings, and metadata; do not destroy originals after producing a polished report.
Worked example
An investigator reports: “At 14:05 I saw a man matching the subject’s description leave 12 Oak Street, enter a gray sedan, and drive north. The plate was partially obscured; I did not confirm the driver’s identity.” This is defensible. “The subject fled to avoid service” is argument, not observation, and cannot be supported by the same facts.
Traps
Backdating; using identical boilerplate for different days; failing to log a gap in surveillance; omitting exculpatory information; and storing case files where they can be accessed by unrelated staff.