- Illinois exhibit marking and exchange rule (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218) (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218)
Governs exhibit marking, exchange deadlines, and disclosure for estate planning cases in Illinois courts.
Estate Planning Exhibits in Illinois
You are contesting a will. The original will, two codicils, the trust amendment, account statements and the capacity evaluation have to be marked for the probate hearing, and several signatures sit exactly where a stamp would usually go.
Complete guide to preparing estate planning exhibits that comply with Illinois court requirements. Learn the correct labeling conventions, exchange deadlines, and e-filing procedures.
- Illinois's primary rule governing exhibit preparation is Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218.
- Plaintiffs in Illinois label exhibits with Numbers (1, 2, 3...).
- Defendants in Illinois label exhibits with Letters (A, B, C...).
- Illinois courts require electronic exhibits to be filed through eFileIL.
- Exhibits must be exchanged with opposing counsel 21 days before trial (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218) under Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218.
- Common estate planning exhibits in Illinois include wills & trusts, asset documentation, beneficiary designations.
- ExhibitPrep applies Illinois exhibit stamps entirely in the browser, so estate planning case files never leave the user's computer.
What goes wrong with estate planning exhibits, and how it is handled
What goes wrongA stamp over a signature, a date or a notary block damages the very thing the exhibit proves.
How ExhibitPrep handles itDrag the stamp anywhere on the page or choose a preset; the preview shows the page you will download, so the stamp can be kept clear of signatures, figures and existing page numbers.
What goes wrongOlder documents are scans of varied page sizes.
How ExhibitPrep handles itSet the stamp size once for the set, make it readable without covering document content, and check mixed page sizes in the finished preview.
What goes wrongThe petitioner's and the contestant's exhibits carry different labels.
How ExhibitPrep handles itThe Plaintiff's, Defendant's, Petitioner's, Respondent's and Defense Exhibit templates name the side in the stamp header; the label sequence, and any prefix such as D- or PX-, are set once and applied to every exhibit in the set.
What goes wrongThe court wants an index of exhibits with the filing.
How ExhibitPrep handles itThe Exhibit List is a captioned PDF built from the labels and titles you assigned; labels print exactly as assigned, and gaps or duplicates are flagged, never silently renumbered.
Essential tools for estate planning exhibits
Stamp exhibits
29 templates, with labels in the convention your court uses — 50 states and federal
How it worksCombine with a table of contents
One PDF in exhibit order, with an optional table of contents and clickable bookmarks
How it worksExhibit list
A captioned Exhibit List PDF built from the labels and titles you assigned
How it worksIllinois Exhibit Requirements at a Glance
| Plaintiff Exhibits | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) |
| Defendant Exhibits | Letters (A, B, C...) |
| Exchange Deadline | 21 days before trial (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218) |
| Primary Rule | Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218 |
| E-Filing System | eFileIL |
Common Estate Planning Exhibits
Wills & Trusts
Original wills, trust agreements, amendments, codicils. For Illinois e-filing on eFileIL, confirm the current file-size cap (Not confirmed — check the filing portal) before uploading.
Asset Documentation
Property deeds, account statements, valuations
Beneficiary Designations
Life insurance, retirement accounts, POD/TOD forms
Powers of Attorney
Financial POA, healthcare POA, living wills
Family Records
Birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records
Business Interests
Operating agreements, stock certificates, buy-sell agreements
Ready to Stamp Your Exhibits?
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Illinois-Specific Considerations
- Estate tax threshold lower than federal
- Uniform Trust Code adopted
- Spousal rights in estates
- Cook County probate procedures unique
How to Prepare Your Exhibits
Gather Your Documents
Collect all documents relevant to your estate planning case. This typically includes wills & trusts, asset documentation, beneficiary designations, and other supporting evidence.
Convert to PDF
Convert all documents to PDF format. Illinois courts require electronic exhibits to be filed via eFileIL. Scan paper documents at 300 DPI.
Apply Exhibit Labels
Use ExhibitPrep to add exhibit stamps for Illinois filing review. Plaintiffs commonly use Numbers (1, 2, 3...), while defendants commonly use Letters (A, B, C...); verify the governing rules.
Exchange with Opposing Counsel
Exchange your exhibit list and copies with opposing counsel 21 days before trial (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218) per Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218.
Save Hours on Exhibit Preparation
ExhibitPrep stamps all your estate planning exhibits in minutes, not hours. Upload your documents, select the correct Illinois template, and download court-ready exhibits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I label estate planning exhibits in Illinois?
Use Numbers (1, 2, 3...) for plaintiff exhibits and Letters (A, B, C...) for defense exhibits, per Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218. Illinois e-filing standards call for a two-inch top margin on the first page of an e-filed document when possible, and exhibit sticker placement is set by local rule or the judge. ExhibitPrep's Estate Planning templates apply the right prefix automatically, so you're not re-deriving the local convention on every filing.
When do I have to exchange estate planning exhibits in Illinois?
Illinois sets the exhibit exchange window at 21 days before trial (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218), though the exact date can shift with your assigned judge's scheduling order. Confirm the deadline in your case's pretrial order before you start stamping, then batch-process the full estate planning production in one ExhibitPrep session once it's locked in.
What e-filing system handles estate planning exhibits in Illinois?
Illinois runs electronic filing through eFileIL. Check the current upload cap before filing (Not confirmed — check the filing portal), export each exhibit as a text-searchable PDF, and split any long wills & trusts into separate files so a single scanned record doesn't blow past the limit.
What exhibits come up most in a Illinois estate planning case?
Estate Planning matters in Illinois typically turn on wills & trusts, asset documentation, beneficiary designations, plus whatever case-specific records the dispute calls for. Estate tax threshold lower than federal. Stamp them all inside ExhibitPrep using the matching plaintiff or defense template, so every exhibit in the production carries a consistent, consistent exhibit mark before it goes to opposing counsel.
Can I stamp a large estate planning production for Illinois courts?
Yes. The Day Pass ($14.99) gives you unlimited stamping for 24 hours, which covers hundreds of exhibits in a single estate planning case. Processing runs entirely in your browser, so your Illinois case files never leave your computer. That matters here because e-filing upload caps (Not confirmed — check the filing portal) often force a large production into multiple separate uploads.
Related Resources
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ExhibitPrep formats documents; it does not provide legal advice or filing approval. Some guidance remains unverified. Citations support only their stated claims and scope. Review the finished files against current court instructions and case orders before filing. Check requirements and the finished PDF before filing.