Courtney Blackman never thought she'd enter the tech world, having spent her career in the creative fields of fashion and media. Today, she leads Australia's first legal tech accelerator for startups.
Text messages are often a key part of custody cases, but gathering and presenting them properly is where most people struggle. This post breaks down what actually matters — from clarity and context to organisation — so your evidence is useful, not overwhelming.
Expectations are changing. As access to information becomes faster and easier, clients are becoming less tolerant of delays - including waiting days for a lawyer to respond. This shift highlights a growing need for tools and processes that give people clarity and momentum, without unnecessary waiting.
I built the app I needed when I went to Family Court and had to share years of texts and find patterns of behavior to help build my case. This is my story :)
If you need to use your iPhone text messages as evidence, screenshots rarely cut it. This guide gently walks you through the 10 best apps for exporting SMS and iMessage for evidence into PDFs in 2026. We'll look at what actually matters in legal disputes, and help you choose a tool that supports proper evidence preparation rather than just exporting data.
Most of us have thousands of messages on our phones. Figuring out which ones your lawyer actually needs can feel overwhelming. This guide explains how to identify the messages that matter most, why patterns of communication are just as important as individual texts, and how organizing your text-message evidence early can save thousands in legal fees, and your sanity.
Oh my goodness, this was such an exciting moment, our first ever Google review and we went straight to the top of the class with five stars! I'm going to share it with you here so I can come back and read it and remind myself why Dispute Buddy is the best app in the world (self-assessed, obvs)
Navigating past conversations to gather important messages can be emotionally and mentally draining, especially when relying on screenshots that quickly become overwhelming and disorganised. Screenshotting often falls short when clear and reliable records are needed, particularly in sensitive situations. Dispute Buddy helps turn years of conversations into organised, timestamped documents, giving you clarity, saving valuable time, and helping you feel more prepared and confident moving forward.
Lots of our users ask us this: “Will my ex be notified that I’ve downloaded their texts if I use Dispute Buddy?” And the answer is no.
Dispute Buddy is proud to partner with The Separation Guide to help individuals navigate separation with greater clarity and confidence. This collaboration highlights Dispute Buddy as a trusted tool for downloading, organising, and preserving text and WhatsApp conversations when they matter most. Whether separation is amicable or high-conflict, having a clear record of communication can reduce misunderstandings and help you feel more prepared for legal or mediation support.
When something feels wrong but you cannot quite explain why, it can leave you questioning yourself. Dispute Buddy’s message analysis tool helps uncover communication patterns that are difficult to recognise on your own. It identifies concerning behaviours that can strengthen your case, without requiring you to reread a single message.
Leaving a bad relationship is a big step. It's daunting and it feels weird to be 'documenting' stuff when you've been with this person in a relationship. But it's important. You have to look after yourself. It's what you'd advise a friend to do. So be your own best friend, download your texts, keep a record of what's happened.
Have you ever tried to screenshot a long conversation? It takes FOREVER. Attorneys, lawyers, police and courts like neat, timestamped documents. We review the best apps for turning the chaos of years of messages into clarity. And when you hand that PDF of messages to your lawyer, you'll feel in control.
Courts often use text messages and chats to show patterns of behavior over time. But you shouldn't need to be a legal expert to collect your messages and prepare that evidence. You just need the right tool.
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