Court Filing PDF Preparation
Filing deadlines wait for no one. Manual exhibit preparation is tedious, error-prone, and wastes billable time. Get your documents filing-ready in minutes with professional stamps that meet e-filing requirements.
It's 4pm and your filing is due at 5pm...
The motion is written, but 15 exhibits still need stamps. Each one requires opening, adding text, positioning, and saving. At 3-5 minutes per document, you're looking at an hour of work—time you don't have.
Court Filing Preparation Workflow
Follow this workflow to prepare professional court filings efficiently. ExhibitPrep handles the exhibit stamping—the most time-consuming step.
Gather Documents
Collect all filing components: main pleading, declarations, exhibits, and proposed orders. Verify nothing is missing before you start.
Organize Exhibits
Arrange exhibits in the order referenced in your brief. Sequential organization helps the court follow your arguments.
Upload to ExhibitPrep
Drag and drop all exhibit PDFs. Upload multiple files at once for batch processing—no need to stamp one at a time.
Configure Stamps
Select your party template and add case information. Settings apply to all exhibits for consistent formatting.
Preview and Verify
Review stamps on each document before processing. Drag to reposition if needed. Catch errors before downloading.
Export for Filing
Download individually, as ZIP, or combined PDF with table of contents. Files are ready for immediate e-filing upload.
E-Filing System Compatibility
CM/ECF (Federal)
35MB limit, PDF/A preferred
CompatibleFile & ServeXpress
25MB limit, standard PDF
CompatibleOdyssey File & Serve
25MB limit, standard PDF
CompatibleState e-Filing Portals
25-50MB limits vary
CompatibleExhibitPrep creates standard PDF files with embedded stamps that work with all major e-filing systems. No special formatting or conversion required.
Filing Preparation Best Practices
Filing Best Practices
- Prepare filings at least 24 hours before deadline
- Verify all exhibits match references in your brief
- Use consistent stamp formatting across all exhibits
- Check file sizes before uploading to e-filing system
- Preview the final PDF before submitting
- Keep copies of all submitted documents
Common Filing Mistakes
- Waiting until the last hour to prepare exhibits
- Submitting exhibits with inconsistent labeling
- Exceeding file size limits (causes rejection)
- Using image-only PDFs when text-searchable is required
- Stamps that obscure document content
- Forgetting to include referenced exhibits
Filing Preparation Time Comparison
| Method | 15 Exhibits | Learning Curve | E-Filing Ready? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ExhibitPrep | 5-8 minutes | Instant | |
| Adobe Acrobat Pro | 20-30 minutes | Moderate | |
| Manual (Text Boxes) | 45-75 minutes | Low | |
| Paralegal/Staff | 60-90 minutes | Training required |
Court Filing Preparation Questions
What does court filing preparation include?
Court filing preparation encompasses stamping exhibits with proper labels, organizing documents in logical order, combining multiple files into a single PDF when appropriate, verifying PDF compatibility with e-filing systems, and ensuring all documents meet court technical requirements. ExhibitPrep handles exhibit stamping, which is the most time-consuming part of filing preparation.
How do I prepare exhibits for e-filing?
For e-filing, exhibits must be in PDF format with proper stamps embedded (not overlaid), text-searchable when possible, under file size limits (typically 25-35MB), and clearly labeled with sequential exhibit markers. ExhibitPrep creates e-filing compatible PDFs that meet these requirements automatically.
Can I combine multiple documents into one court filing?
Yes. ExhibitPrep can combine multiple stamped exhibits into a single PDF with an auto-generated table of contents. This is ideal for creating exhibit binders, motion packets, or trial exhibit compilations. Each exhibit retains its individual stamp while being organized in one downloadable file.
What file size limits do courts impose?
Most e-filing systems limit individual files to 25-35MB. Federal CM/ECF has a 35MB limit per document. State systems vary—California allows up to 25MB, while some courts allow up to 50MB. For larger exhibit sets, you may need to split into multiple filings or use court-approved external storage.
Do I need to OCR my documents before filing?
Many courts require or prefer text-searchable PDFs. If your documents are scanned images, OCR (Optical Character Recognition) makes them searchable. ExhibitPrep preserves existing text searchability when adding stamps. For scanned documents, run OCR before uploading for best results.
How far in advance should I prepare court filings?
Prepare filings at least 24 hours before the deadline to allow time for review, corrections, and technical issues. ExhibitPrep makes last-minute preparation possible—most users complete exhibit stamping in under 10 minutes—but building in buffer time prevents filing deadline stress.
Ready to Prepare Your Court Filing?
Professional exhibit preparation in minutes. Free to preview—pay only when you download.
Start Filing Preparation