California Court Exhibit Requirements
A comprehensive guide to preparing exhibits for California Superior Courts under CRC 3.1110, including county-specific requirements, e-filing specifications under CRC 2.256, and formatting best practices.
- California Rules of Court 3.1110(c) require plaintiffs to label exhibits with numbers and defendants with letters.
- California courts use yellow stickers for plaintiff exhibits and blue stickers for defendant exhibits.
- CRC 2.256 caps e-filed PDFs at 25 MB and requires text-searchable documents when reasonably available.
- CRC 3.1110(f) requires an index of exhibits with brief descriptions for every multi-exhibit filing.
- Los Angeles Superior Court Local Rules 3.52 and 3.53 require Bates numbering on all exhibits.
- Exhibit exchange deadlines: LA = 5 days before FSC; San Francisco = 10 days before trial; Orange County = 14 days before trial; San Diego = 5 court days before trial.
- Multi-page exhibits keep one number with per-page pagination ("Exhibit 1, p. 2 of 5"); the cover page carries the full label.
Quick Reference
Updated 2026-01-31County systems
25 MB
Numbers + Yellow stickers
Letters + Blue stickers
LA: 5 days before FSC
Applicable Rules & Citations
Primary Rule
Statewide framework for exhibit formatting. Requires index of exhibits with brief descriptions.
Formatting Requirements
CRC 3.1110(f)
Exhibits separated by 8.5x11 sheets with tabs extending below page. Electronic exhibits require bookmarks.
E-Filing System
PDF format required, 25 MB max file size. Text-searchable, electronic bookmarks required.
Key Deadlines
Varies by County
LA: 5 days before FSC. SF: 10 days. Orange: 14 days. San Diego: 5 court days.
Overview
California Superior Courts operate under the California Rules of Court (CRC), supplemented by local rules for each of the 58 counties. While CRC 3.1110 provides a statewide framework, exhibit requirements can vary significantly between counties, particularly for major courts like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County.
Key principle: Always check your specific county's local rules and e-filing system requirements. Los Angeles has notably stricter requirements including mandatory Bates numbering under Local Rules 3.52 and 3.53.
California Exhibit Color Coding
Standard California Conventions
Plaintiff Exhibits (Yellow Stickers)
- Numbers: 1, 2, 3... consecutively
- Yellow adhesive labels or tabs
- Reserve numbers for trial exhibits
Defendant Exhibits (Blue Stickers)
- Letters: A, B, C... or Numbers: 100+
- Blue adhesive labels or tabs
- Check local rules for convention
Important: LA Bates Numbering Requirement
Los Angeles Superior Court requires Bates numbering on all exhibits under Local Rules 3.52 and 3.53. This is in addition to standard exhibit numbering. At least 3 sets of tabbed exhibit binders are required at trial.
County-Specific Requirements
Los Angeles Superior Court
Strictest requirements. Bates numbering required. At least 3 sets of exhibit binders at trial. Exhibits exchanged 5 days before FSC.
LA Local Rules 3.52, 3.53San Francisco Superior Court
Exhibits exchanged 10 days prior to trial.
LRSF 6.4Orange County Superior Court
Exhibits presented at Issue Conference 14 days before trial.
Local Rule 317San Diego Superior Court
Exhibits exchanged 5 court days prior to trial.
Local Rule 2.5.6CRC 2.256 E-Filing Requirements
File Format & Size
Document Specifications
- PDF format required for all filings
- 25 MB maximum per file
- Text-searchable PDFs required
Electronic Bookmarks
- Bookmarks required for multi-exhibit PDFs
- No password protection allowed
- No digital signatures blocking access
CRC 3.1110(f) Index Requirements
- Index of Exhibits: Required for all exhibit submissions with brief descriptions of each exhibit
- Separator Sheets: 8.5x11 sheets with tabs extending below the page edge
- Foreign Language Exhibits: Require certified English translations
Common Rejection Reasons
Exhibit Size Exceeds 25 MB Limit
Solution: Split large exhibits into parts. Label clearly (e.g., "Exhibit 5, Part 1 of 3"). ExhibitPrep exports individual files to manage CRC 2.256 size limits.
Missing Exhibit Index (CRC 3.1110)
Solution: Include an index of exhibits with brief descriptions at the start of your exhibit submission. ExhibitPrep can generate a table of contents with bookmarks.
Missing Bates Numbers (LA County)
Solution: Los Angeles requires Bates numbering under Local Rules 3.52 and 3.53. Apply consecutive page numbers to all exhibit pages before stamping.
Non-Searchable PDF
Solution: Run OCR on scanned documents before stamping. CRC 2.256 requires text-searchable PDFs when reasonably available. ExhibitPrep preserves searchability.
Missing Electronic Bookmarks
Solution: Combined exhibits must include bookmarks per CRC 3.1110(f). ExhibitPrep's combined PDF export includes automatic bookmarks for each exhibit.
How ExhibitPrep Helps with California Requirements
Time Savings
Stamp 50 exhibits in 5 minutes vs. 2+ hours applying stickers manually.
Cost Effective
$14.99 Day Pass vs. $100+/hr paralegal time. Stamp unlimited exhibits for one low price.
CRC Compliant
California court-ready formatting with proper numbering. Export with bookmarks per CRC 3.1110(f).
ExhibitPrep Configuration for California Courts
Recommended Settings
Stamp Format
Use "Exhibit [number]" or "Exhibit [letter]" format. Include party designation if required by local rules (e.g., "Plaintiff's Exhibit 1" with yellow-themed stamp).
Position
Bottom-right corner is standard for California. Ensure stamps don't obscure document content, especially for legal-size documents.
Export Format
Combined PDF with bookmarks for most Superior Court filings (required by CRC 3.1110). Individual files if size limits are a concern or for discovery productions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CRC 3.1110 require for California exhibit formatting?
California Rules of Court 3.1110 requires exhibits to be separated by 8.5x11 sheets with tabs extending below the page. CRC 3.1110(f) specifically requires an index of exhibits with brief descriptions. Electronic exhibits must include bookmarks for navigation.
What are the California e-filing requirements under CRC 2.256?
CRC 2.256 requires PDF format for all e-filed documents with a 25 MB maximum file size. Documents should be text-searchable when reasonably available. Electronic bookmarks are required for multi-exhibit filings. No digital signatures that block access.
How do I format exhibits for Los Angeles Superior Court?
LA Superior Court has the strictest requirements in California. Local Rules 3.52 and 3.53 require Bates numbering. Exhibits must be exchanged 5 days before the Final Status Conference. At least 3 sets of exhibit binders are required at trial. Yellow stickers indicate plaintiff exhibits, blue for defendant.
What exhibit color coding does California use?
California courts use yellow stickers for plaintiff exhibits and blue stickers for defendant exhibits. Plaintiffs typically use numbers (1, 2, 3...) while defendants use letters (A, B, C...) or numbers starting at 100+. Check your specific county's local rules.
What are the exhibit exchange deadlines by California county?
Exhibit exchange deadlines vary by county: Los Angeles requires exchange 5 days before Final Status Conference, San Francisco requires 10 days before trial, Orange County requires 14 days before trial, and San Diego requires 5 court days prior to trial.
Do California courts require searchable PDFs for exhibits?
Yes, CRC 2.256 requires text-searchable PDFs when reasonably available. ExhibitPrep preserves the searchability of your source documents when adding exhibit stamps. For scanned documents, consider running OCR before stamping.
Prepare California Court Exhibits in Minutes
ExhibitPrep makes it easy to create professional, CRC-compliant exhibits for California Superior Court filings. Preview your stamped exhibits before paying.
Preview Your Stamps Free →No credit card required to preview | $14.99 Day Pass for unlimited stamping