# what exactly are 'contemporaneous notes'?



## Bob Nellies (24 Oct 2011)

my understanding is that these are handwritten/manual notes taken during a meeting which are signed by both parties. 

if the notes are written before/after the meeting and are not signed by both parties, they are not 'contemporaneous'. 


thank you.


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## callybags (24 Oct 2011)

*con·tem·po·ra·ne·ous* (k
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





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s) 
_adj._ Originating, existing, or happening during the same period of time: _the contemporaneous reigns of two monarchs._ See Synonyms at contemporary.

I don't think there is anything about both parties signing or agreeing on the content.

Also I would think notes taken after a meeting but when things are fresh in the mind would be classed as contemporaneous.

I have seen guards in court produce their little notebook with "comtemporaneous" notes about incidents maybe 6 months previous. The person being charged would not have seen these notes, but could well have their own.


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## onq (24 Oct 2011)

+1 what callybags has posted.

Bob Nellies,

You seem to be referring to "agreed minutes".
These are notes of a meeting circulated to both parties for approval.
Minutes of meetings are just that - notes, not transcripts, of what was said at the meeting.

In formal meetings they could be sub-divided into

- Topic or Item
- Points Discussed
- Action to be Taken
- Person Responsible.

Taking this a step further, minuted meetings which are witnessed and signed can be the basis of a settlement or a legal agreement if a notary public is present.

Contemporaneous Notes on the other hand are written memos of matters arising at the time.
They can be jottings on a memo pad, scribbles on the side of a letter, a note of the persons name you spoke to.
They are considered a useful aide-memoire and confirmation of the person's understanding of what went on but they are not agreed minutes.
Despite what you might think they are not as easy to "retro-engineer" as it might appear - I've attended at a case where someone forged receipts and was exposed.


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## Padraigb (24 Oct 2011)

Contemporaneous notes are not necessarily informal in format. I use a keyboard far more than I use a pen (if you saw my handwriting you would understand why!).

I was a witness in a road traffic case. It was heard some months after the incident, and to assist my memory I had with me a printout of notes I made about an hour after the incident, which I had typed as soon as I got home. Once the judge was satisfied that the notes were made the same day, he was happy to allow me to use them as contemporaneous notes. [The Garda witness used manuscript notes in a small black notebook.]


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## Billo (24 Oct 2011)

Bob Nellies said:


> my understanding is that these are handwritten/manual notes taken during a meeting which are signed by both parties.
> 
> if the notes are written before/after the meeting and are not signed by both parties, they are not 'contemporaneous'.
> 
> ...



A search of google shows :

[broken link removed]

or

http://investigateway.com.au/notes_-_when_to_make_notes_contemporaneously.html

Rgds

Billo


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