Presenting messages in court

Bates numbering for text messages and chat exports

Last reviewed 2026-10-17 · 2 official sources cited below

Bates numbers are unique, sequential identifiers stamped on every page of a set of documents, like SMITH000001, SMITH000002, and so on. They are common in U.S. litigation, especially discovery, because anyone can cite a page unambiguously (“see SMITH000143”) even after documents are shuffled into different exhibits.

Page numbers vs. Bates numbers

You can use both. TextExhibits puts “Page X of Y” in the footer center and the Bates number at the bottom right.

Choosing a prefix and starting number

• Prefix: usually a short party or case identifier, such as REYES or DEF. Check whether the other side or the court already uses a convention.
• Start: if this PDF continues an earlier production that ended at REYES000250, start at 251.
• Digits: 6 is common. It makes numbers the same width and sort correctly.

When you need them

Bates numbering is a convention, not a universal rule. It’s most useful when:

• you are producing documents in discovery. In U.S. federal civil cases, FRCP 34 governs the form of producing electronically stored information, and parties often agree on Bates stamping in discovery plans;
• you have several exhibits and want one numbering system across them;
• the court or a judge’s standing order asks for it.

In England and Wales, family e-bundles use their own pagination system set by PD 27A rather than Bates prefixes.

Bates numbers in TextExhibits

Bates stamping is part of the paid export. Set the prefix, starting number and digits; every page, including the cover and the hash certificate, gets a number. The download summary tells you the first and last Bates number so you can log the range.

Sources

1. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 34 — Producing Documents, Electronically Stored Information… (Cornell LII)
2. Family Procedure Rules, Practice Direction 27A — Court bundles (Ministry of Justice)

Sources were opened and checked on 2026-10-17. Laws and rules change; always read the current version.