- Illinois exhibit marking and exchange rule (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218) (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218)
Governs exhibit marking, exchange deadlines, and disclosure for intellectual property cases in Illinois courts.
Intellectual Property Exhibits in Illinois
You are briefing claim construction. The asserted patents, the file history, a stack of prior-art references and the claim charts become exhibits to your declaration, and the stamp has to stay off the figures and the columns of claim text.
Complete guide to preparing intellectual property 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 intellectual property exhibits in Illinois include registration documents, prior art, infringement evidence.
- ExhibitPrep applies Illinois exhibit stamps entirely in the browser, so intellectual property case files never leave the user's computer.
What goes wrong with intellectual property exhibits, and how it is handled
What goes wrongPatent drawings and claim columns leave little blank space for a stamp.
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 wrongDozens of prior-art references need sequential labels in the order the chart cites them.
How ExhibitPrep handles itBatch stamping applies sequential labels across the whole set — 1, 2, 3 or A, B, C — from the starting value you choose, in the document order you set.
What goes wrongThe file history is one long document that the brief cites by page.
How ExhibitPrep handles itBates numbering adds page numbers with the prefix, starting number and zero padding you set — ABC-001 onward — and the count continues across the documents in a set or restarts in each file.
What goes wrongConfidential technical material cannot be uploaded to be stamped.
How ExhibitPrep handles itDocument bytes are processed locally in your browser and are not uploaded to our servers.
Essential tools for intellectual property exhibits
Stamp exhibits
29 templates, with labels in the convention your court uses — 50 states and federal
How it worksBates numbering
Page numbers with the prefix, starting number and zero padding you set — ABC-001 onward
How it worksCombine with a table of contents
One PDF in exhibit order, with an optional table of contents and clickable bookmarks
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 Intellectual Property Exhibits
Registration Documents
Patents, trademarks, copyrights, certificates. For Illinois e-filing on eFileIL, confirm the current file-size cap (Not confirmed — check the filing portal) before uploading.
Prior Art
Publications, products, patents showing prior existence
Infringement Evidence
Screenshots, products, advertisements showing infringement
Damages Calculations
Lost profits, reasonable royalties, expert reports
Development Records
Design documents, source code, invention disclosures
License Agreements
Existing licenses, royalty statements, assignments
Ready to Stamp Your Exhibits?
Create exhibits for Illinois filing review in under 2 minutes
Illinois-Specific Considerations
- Northern District handles significant patent cases
- Trade secret protection under ITSA
- Non-compete restrictions increasing
- Manufacturing and pharma IP common
How to Prepare Your Exhibits
Gather Your Documents
Collect all documents relevant to your intellectual property case. This typically includes registration documents, prior art, infringement evidence, 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 intellectual property 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 intellectual property 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 Intellectual Property templates apply the right prefix automatically, so you're not re-deriving the local convention on every filing.
When do I have to exchange intellectual property 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 intellectual property production in one ExhibitPrep session once it's locked in.
What e-filing system handles intellectual property 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 registration documents into separate files so a single scanned record doesn't blow past the limit.
What exhibits come up most in a Illinois intellectual property case?
Intellectual Property matters in Illinois typically turn on registration documents, prior art, infringement evidence, plus whatever case-specific records the dispute calls for. Northern District handles significant patent cases. 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 intellectual property 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 intellectual property 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.