How to Relabel Exhibits After an Error
Labeled your exhibits incorrectly — wrong number, wrong party type, or wrong sequence? The cleanest fix is to re-stamp from the original unstamped file. If the original is gone, there are still options. Here is the step-by-step process to correct your exhibit labels before they reach the court.
- PDF exhibit stamps are embedded in the document and cannot be cleanly deleted — the best fix is to re-stamp from the original unstamped file.
- ExhibitPrep processes files locally in your browser and never modifies the original file on your disk, so your source documents are always preserved.
- If the original unstamped file is unavailable, cover the old stamp with a white rectangle using PDF24 (free, web-based), LibreOffice Draw, or Adobe Acrobat, then re-stamp.
- Courts generally accept corrected exhibits when the error is disclosed in writing and the correction is made before trial — most clerks handle minor corrections without formal motions.
- If exhibits were already served on opposing counsel, provide them with the corrected version promptly and note the correction in a cover email.
- California courts require exhibit corrections to be exchanged before the 14-day pretrial exchange deadline under CRC 3.1302 to avoid exclusion.
- The single most effective way to avoid relabeling is to save every original PDF in a separate folder before stamping — a one-minute habit that eliminates the problem entirely.
- Over-stamping (placing a new stamp on top of an old one) is generally not accepted by courts because the underlying incorrect label remains visible when the PDF is zoomed or printed at high resolution.
Best Practice: Always Save Originals Before Stamping
Before you stamp any exhibit, save a copy of the original PDF in a clearly labeled folder. A simple structure like this takes 30 seconds to create and eliminates the need to ever relabel:
📁 Case - Smith v. Jones
📁 Exhibits - Originals
📄 medical-records.pdf
📄 police-report.pdf
📁 Exhibits - Stamped
📄 Exhibit-1-medical-records.pdf
📄 Exhibit-2-police-report.pdf
5-Step Process to Relabel Your Exhibits
Locate Your Original Unstamped Files
Check everywhere your original PDFs might be: Desktop, Downloads folder, email attachments, shared drive, document management system. If you scanned the documents yourself, the scanner software may have saved originals automatically. If you received documents from opposing counsel via discovery, you likely still have the native file they produced. Finding the original is always worth 5 minutes of searching before attempting any other fix.
Upload the Original File to ExhibitPrep
Once you have the original unstamped PDF, go to ExhibitPrep and upload it. The tool processes files entirely in your browser — nothing is sent to a server — so your confidential client documents remain on your computer. Select the correct party template (Plaintiff's Exhibit, Defendant's Exhibit, Claimant, Respondent, etc.) from the 26 available templates.
Select the Correct Template and Label
Set the correct exhibit number or letter in the configurator. If your original error was numbering when you should have used letters (or vice versa), double-check your court's local rules before applying the new stamp. Preview the stamp in the tool to confirm the label, case name, and position are correct before downloading.
Position the Stamp and Download
Confirm the stamp is in the bottom-right corner of the first page, which is the standard position required by most courts including California under CRC 3.1110(c). Use ExhibitPrep's drag-to-position feature if a different location is required by your court. Download the corrected exhibit — the file will have only the new label with no trace of the old incorrect stamp.
Notify Clerk or Opposing Counsel if Needed
If you have not yet served the exhibits, simply use the corrected file and move on. If the incorrectly labeled exhibits were already served, send a brief email to opposing counsel identifying the error and attaching the corrected version. If the exhibits were already filed with the court clerk, file the corrected exhibit with a cover page explaining the correction. In most courts, minor administrative corrections before trial do not require a formal motion.
If You No Longer Have the Original File
When the original unstamped PDF is truly unavailable, follow these steps to cover the old stamp and apply a clean new one:
- 1Open the stamped PDF in a free tool such as PDF24 (pdf24.com), LibreOffice Draw, or Adobe Acrobat.
- 2Draw a white-filled rectangle directly over the old exhibit stamp area. Save the file.
- 3Upload the modified file to ExhibitPrep and apply the correct exhibit label using the appropriate template.
- 4Download the corrected exhibit. Note that the white box and underlying content technically remain in the PDF — disclose the correction in your cover letter if you file this version with the court.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you remove a stamp from a PDF?
PDF stamps are embedded in the document and cannot be cleanly removed with a single click using standard tools. The best approach is to re-stamp from the original unstamped file, which produces a clean document with no trace of the old label. If you no longer have the original, you can cover the old stamp with a white rectangle using Adobe Acrobat, PDF24, or LibreOffice Draw, then re-stamp the modified file — but courts generally prefer clean originals over covered-up corrections.
What if I only have the stamped version and not the original?
If the original is unavailable, use a PDF editor to place a white rectangle over the old stamp area, then upload the modified file to ExhibitPrep and apply the correct new stamp. Free tools that can place a white box over an area include PDF24 (web-based), LibreOffice Draw, and Adobe Acrobat (paid). This method works but produces a file that technically has content beneath the white box — courts and opposing counsel generally accept this for minor corrections, but disclose the correction in a cover letter.
Do courts accept corrected exhibits?
Yes, courts generally accept corrected exhibits when the error is identified and corrected before trial and the correction is disclosed in writing. File the corrected exhibit with a brief cover letter explaining what was wrong and what was corrected. If the exhibits were already submitted to the court, you may need to file a motion to substitute the exhibit. Most clerks handle minor exhibit corrections without requiring formal motion practice when the error is administrative rather than substantive.
What is the best practice to avoid needing to relabel exhibits?
Always save a copy of every PDF before applying any exhibit stamp. Create a folder structure that clearly separates "originals" from "stamped" versions — for example, a folder named "Originals" and a folder named "Stamped." This way, if any label needs to be corrected, you can re-stamp from the clean original in under a minute. ExhibitPrep processes files locally in your browser and never modifies your original files on disk, so your source documents are always preserved on your own computer.
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