How to prepare exhibits for court

The checklist

1. Choose your evidence. For each point you need to prove, pick the clearest document or photo. Fewer, stronger exhibits are easier for a judge to follow than a stack of everything.
2. Put them in order. Date order works for most disputes: the lease, then the first complaint, then the repair invoice. Grouping by topic can work when several things happened at once.
3. Label each exhibit. In many US courts the plaintiff uses numbers and the defendant uses letters, but some courts do it the other way or use number blocks. Check before you label.
4. Number the pages. Page numbers, or Bates numbers like SMITH-000001, let everyone find the same page quickly during a hearing.
5. Make an exhibit list. One line per exhibit: label, a short neutral description, date and number of pages.
6. Remove private details. Black out the information your court requires you to redact before anything is filed (see below).
7. Make copies. Usually one set for the judge, one for each other party, and one for you. Some courts also want the original or an extra set for witnesses.
8. Share them on time. Many courts require you to exchange exhibits with the other side before the hearing or trial. The deadline is usually in the court’s rules or your case schedule.

What goes on the exhibit list

Keep descriptions short and neutral. “Email to property manager reporting the leak” is better than “Email proving the landlord ignored me.” Some courts want extra columns for whether each exhibit was offered and admitted; the clerk’s office can tell you.

Photos, texts and screenshots

• Print or save photos large enough to see what matters, and note when and where each was taken.
• For text messages, include the phone number or name at the top and the dates and times of each message.
• Keep the originals on your phone or computer in case the other side questions a copy.

Redact before you file

In federal court, Rule 5.2 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure says filings may include only the last four digits of a Social Security or taxpayer number, the year of someone’s birth, a minor’s initials and the last four digits of a financial account number. Many state courts have similar rules. Cover the rest with a solid black box, and make sure the text underneath is really gone, not just hidden.

Putting the binder together

• Start with the exhibit list, then a tab or cover sheet before each exhibit.
• Put an exhibit sticker or label on the first page of each exhibit, usually in the lower right corner.
• Use the same order and labels in every copy, so “Exhibit C, page 2” means the same page for everyone.
• If the court accepts electronic exhibits, one PDF with bookmarks and a clickable index is easiest to navigate.

Before the hearing

Read through every copy once, page by page. Check that the labels match the list, that nothing is upside down, and that each set is complete. Bring your own copy marked with notes on what each exhibit shows and which witness can explain it.