- Illinois exhibit marking and exchange rule (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218) (Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 218)
Governs exhibit marking, exchange deadlines, and disclosure for real estate cases in Illinois courts.
Real Estate Exhibits in Illinois
Your boundary dispute is set for trial. The purchase agreement and its addenda, the title report, two surveys, the inspection report and condition photographs need exhibit labels, and the plats have to stay readable at full size.
Complete guide to preparing real estate 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 real estate exhibits in Illinois include purchase agreements, title documents, property surveys.
- ExhibitPrep applies Illinois exhibit stamps entirely in the browser, so real estate case files never leave the user's computer.
What goes wrong with real estate exhibits, and how it is handled
What goes wrongA stamp across a plat or a legal description makes the exhibit harder to read.
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 wrongCondition photographs are JPG files from a phone.
How ExhibitPrep handles itPDFs are stamped directly; PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP, BMP, TIFF images become PDF pages first, so photographs and screenshots take a label in the same sequence as everything else.
What goes wrongThe closing file is a dozen documents that belong together as one binder.
How ExhibitPrep handles itCombining produces one PDF in exhibit order, with an optional table of contents and clickable bookmarks; each contents entry lists the exhibit label, its title when you add one, and the page it starts on.
What goes wrongSurveys and plats are larger pages than the rest of the set.
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.
Essential tools for real estate exhibits
Stamp exhibits
29 templates, with labels in the convention your court uses — 50 states and federal
How it worksBatch stamping
Sequential labels across the whole set — 1, 2, 3 or A, B, C — from the starting value you choose
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 Real Estate Exhibits
Purchase Agreements
Contracts, addenda, counteroffers, and closing documents. For Illinois e-filing on eFileIL, confirm the current file-size cap (Not confirmed — check the filing portal) before uploading.
Title Documents
Deeds, title reports, title insurance policies
Property Surveys
Boundary surveys, plat maps, site plans
Inspection Reports
Home inspection, pest inspection, environmental reports
Disclosure Documents
Seller disclosures, HOA documents, CC&Rs
Appraisals
Property valuations, comparable sales data
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Illinois-Specific Considerations
- Chicago transfer taxes in addition to state
- Disclosure requirements under Residential Real Property Disclosure Act
- Attorney review period standard in contracts
- Condominium Act governs condo transactions
How to Prepare Your Exhibits
Gather Your Documents
Collect all documents relevant to your real estate case. This typically includes purchase agreements, title documents, property surveys, 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 real estate 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 real estate 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 Real Estate templates apply the right prefix automatically, so you're not re-deriving the local convention on every filing.
When do I have to exchange real estate 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 real estate production in one ExhibitPrep session once it's locked in.
What e-filing system handles real estate 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 purchase agreements into separate files so a single scanned record doesn't blow past the limit.
What exhibits come up most in a Illinois real estate case?
Real Estate matters in Illinois typically turn on purchase agreements, title documents, property surveys, plus whatever case-specific records the dispute calls for. Chicago transfer taxes in addition to state. 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 real estate 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 real estate 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.