To label evidence for court, mark each item with an exhibit sticker or tag showing the case name, case number, the party offering it, and a unique sequential number or letter, following the numbering system your specific court and judge require. The label is only part of the job. You also need to prepare an exhibit list, redact protected personal information, meet your pretrial disclosure deadlines, and be ready to authenticate the item on the stand before the judge will admit it.
What Belongs on an Exhibit Label
An exhibit label is a unique identifier. Federal regulations governing administrative hearings set out the same basic fields most trial courts expect: the case docket number, a designation identifying the party offering the exhibit, and a consecutive number.1eCFR. 29 CFR 2200.70 – Exhibits In practice, a complete label carries four things:
- The full case caption, such as Smith v. Doe.
- The case number the court assigned at filing.
- The offering party — plaintiff, defendant, or a third party in a multi-party case.
- A sequential exhibit number or letter that no other exhibit shares.
Some courts also want a short description on the sticker itself, like “Contract dated June 3, 2024.” Check your court’s standing orders before printing anything, because a missing field can send you back to re-mark every exhibit the morning of trial.
Numbering and Lettering Systems
The most familiar convention gives numbers to the plaintiff and letters to the defendant. Plaintiff’s exhibits become Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, and so on; defendant’s exhibits become Exhibit A, Exhibit B, and continue through the alphabet. The split gives everyone in the courtroom an instant cue about which side introduced a given item.
Courts are not uniform on this. Some federal courts require both sides to use numbers, with the defendant starting at a reserved block — the plaintiff might use 1 through 99 and the defendant 100 through 199, leaving gaps for exhibits added mid-trial. Others use prefixes like PX-1 and DX-1. The only safe approach is to read the local rules and any standing orders from the judge assigned to your case before you mark a single sticker.
How to Physically Mark Each Type of Evidence
Documents and Photographs
Self-adhesive exhibit stickers are the standard. Put the sticker on the front of the document in the lower right corner so the label is visible without covering text. At least one federal tribunal’s procedures require that placement and allow the label to move only when the lower right corner is impractical, in which case it should go somewhere it can be easily found and read.2HHS.gov. 14. Exhibits
For a multi-page document, put the exhibit sticker on the first page and mark each following page with the exhibit number and page count, like “Exhibit 3, Page 4 of 12.” When document sets get large, courts often expect Bates numbering, which stamps every page with a unique sequential number (such as “ABC_0001,” “ABC_0002”) so anyone can locate a specific page even when exhibits run into the hundreds. If your case has extensive discovery, ask whether the court or opposing counsel expects Bates-stamped documents.
Photographs follow the same rule, except that if the sticker would cover part of the image, place it on the back and note on your exhibit list that the label is on the reverse.
Physical Objects
Larger items like tools, clothing, or equipment get a string tag with the exhibit label attached. Tie the tag on securely so the item can be identified without altering it. When physical condition matters, do not put stickers directly on the surface of the item. National Institute of Justice guidance calls for packaging evidence so its value is not destroyed and for containers to bear complete identification tags and labels.3National Institute of Justice. A Chain of Custody: The Typical Checklist
Small items — keys, jewelry, flash drives — go inside a clear, sealable plastic bag with the label applied to the outside. The item stays visible for inspection and does not get lost between counsel table and the clerk.
Digital Files
Digital exhibits need a consistent naming convention that works as their label. A file named “Plaintiff_Ex15_Security_Footage.mp4” tells everyone at a glance who offered it, its number, and what it contains. Avoid names like “video_final2.mp4.”
Courts generally accept standard formats: PDF for documents, JPEG or PNG for images, and widely supported video and audio formats like MP4 and WAV. If your file needs specialized software to open, you may have to provide the software or convert the file. When you submit digital exhibits on a USB drive, the drive itself gets its own exhibit label, and your exhibit list should note which files it holds.
Many courts now accept or require electronic filing of exhibits through their case management system. If yours uses an electronic portal, its upload process usually has its own formatting and naming rules that override whatever convention you were using internally.
Redacting Personal Information Before You File
Before any exhibit goes to the court, certain personal identifiers have to come out. In federal court, Rule 5.2 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure limits what can appear in a public filing and requires these redactions:4Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 5.2 – Privacy Protection For Filings Made with the Court
- Social Security and taxpayer identification numbers: show only the last four digits.
- Birth dates: include only the year.
- Names of minors: use initials.
- Financial account numbers: show only the last four digits.
The rule covers every filed document, including exhibits attached to motions and evidence submitted for trial. State courts generally have parallel requirements with local variations.
Redactions must be permanent. For paper, use opaque correction methods and then photocopy the result so the original text cannot be recovered. For PDFs, use proper redaction software that removes the underlying text layer. A black rectangle drawn over words hides them visually but leaves them searchable and copy-able, which has produced embarrassing disclosures in high-profile cases. Failing to redact properly can bring sanctions.
Building Your Exhibit List
The exhibit list is the master inventory of everything you plan to introduce. You share it with the judge and opposing counsel before trial, and it becomes the shared roadmap for tracking what has been offered and how the court ruled.
Format it as a table. The first column holds the exhibit number or letter. The next column gives a short, neutral description like “Invoice #734, dated May 1, 2024” or “Photograph of intersection, southbound view.” Keep descriptions factual. “Photograph proving defendant ran the red light” is argumentative and will draw an objection or a correction from the bench.
Additional columns track each exhibit’s status during trial: whether it was offered, whether the opposing party objected, and whether the court admitted or excluded it. Format varies. Some judges supply a template; others expect you to follow a standing order. If your case involves Bates-stamped documents, the list often needs a column for the Bates range.
With many exhibits, organize by category — contracts in one block, photographs in another. Label each binder with the case name and the range of exhibits inside, and put a copy of the list at the front of every binder.
Meeting Pretrial Disclosure Deadlines
Perfect labels do not help an exhibit that arrives late. In federal court, Rule 26(a)(3) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires each party to identify every document and exhibit it may present at trial. The disclosures must be made at least 30 days before trial unless the court sets a different deadline, and the opposing party has 14 days to file objections. An objection not raised within that window is generally waived, except for objections based on relevance or unfair prejudice.5Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 26 – Duty to Disclose; General Provisions Governing Discovery
Individual judges often add tighter timelines and extra steps. A pretrial order might require you to exchange physical copies of exhibits, deliver courtesy binders to chambers, and file a joint consolidated exhibit list that separates stipulated exhibits from contested ones. Read the pretrial order the day you receive it and calendar every deadline. If you miss the disclosure window, the court can exclude your exhibits entirely.
Getting an Exhibit Admitted at Trial
Labeling and listing are preparation. During trial, the exhibit still has to clear authentication. Under Federal Rule of Evidence 901, you must produce enough evidence to support a finding that the item is what you claim it is.6Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Evidence Rule 901 – Authenticating or Identifying Evidence In plain terms, you need a witness who can look at the exhibit and confirm it is genuine.
The typical sequence:
- Confirm the clerk or court reporter has marked the exhibit for identification.
- Hand a copy to opposing counsel so they can inspect it before you use it.
- Lay the foundation. Ask your witness whether they recognize the exhibit and how. For a crime scene photograph, the photographer or someone present can confirm it accurately shows what they saw. For a contract, a party who signed it can identify the signature.
- Offer the exhibit into evidence. The judge will ask opposing counsel whether they object. If no objection is sustained, the exhibit is admitted.
Some documents skip most of this process because they are self-authenticating under Federal Rule of Evidence 902 — sealed government documents, certified copies of public records, official publications, newspapers, and certified business records accompanied by a custodian’s declaration.7Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Evidence Rule 902 – Evidence That Is Self-Authenticating You still have to answer objections based on other grounds like relevance or hearsay.
Demonstrative Exhibits Are Not Evidence
Not everything shown to a jury is evidence in the legal sense. Substantive exhibits are offered to prove a fact — a signed contract, a photograph of damage, a blood test report. Demonstrative exhibits are visual aids used to help the jury understand testimony or argument, like a timeline chart, an enlarged diagram, or an animation of how an accident happened. These aids are not evidence themselves and generally cannot go back to the jury room during deliberations.
The distinction affects labeling. Courts often require demonstrative exhibits to carry a separate designation so they are not confused with real evidence. Some use prefixes like PDX for plaintiff demonstratives and DDX for defendant demonstratives. Your exhibit list should identify these items separately and note that they are offered for illustrative purposes only.
Chain of Custody for Physical Items
For physical evidence, especially in criminal cases and personal injury litigation, the chain of custody matters as much as the label. The chain of custody is a documented record of every person who handled the item from collection to courtroom. National Institute of Justice guidance calls for logging where the item was found, who handled it, and a receipt each time it changed hands.3National Institute of Justice. A Chain of Custody: The Typical Checklist
A gap in the chain gives the other side a ready argument that the evidence was tampered with or contaminated. If you are handling physical exhibits for trial, keep a written log of when you received the item, where you stored it, and who else had access. Store items in sealed, labeled containers. This is where many self-represented parties fall short and where opposing counsel will attack if they want the exhibit excluded.