State Exhibit Requirements Comparison
Compare exhibit marking conventions, exchange deadlines, and e-filing systems across all 50 states. Find your state's requirements instantly.
- In most states, plaintiffs mark exhibits with numbers (1, 2, 3) and defendants with letters (A, B, C) — though in about a dozen states this is prevailing practice set by pretrial order rather than statewide rule.
- Oregon assigns each party a block of exhibit numbers — plaintiffs use 1-99 and defendants 101-199 — instead of the numbers-versus-letters convention.
- Texas has no statewide exhibit marking rule: party-prefixed numbers such as P-1 and D-1 are the most common practice, with the format set by each court's docket control or pretrial order.
- New Jersey requires exhibit exchange 7 days before the initial trial date under R. 4:25-7(b), one of the shortest fixed deadlines nationwide.
- Texas requires pretrial disclosure of exhibits at least 30 days before trial under TRCP 194.4, unless the court orders otherwise.
- Many states, including California and Florida, set exhibit deadlines through county rules or the judge's scheduling order rather than one fixed statewide date.
- E-filing systems vary by state and county: Texas mandates statewide e-filing through eFileTexas, while most California counties route filings through Odyssey eFileCA via an approved e-filing service provider.
Standard Convention
Most states use numbers for plaintiffs and letters for defendants — often as prevailing practice rather than rule. Oregon assigns number blocks instead.
Most Common Deadline
Many states set exhibit exchange through the judge's scheduling order; fixed statewide deadlines range from 7 to 42 days before trial.
E-Filing Status
Most states now have mandatory or available e-filing, but systems and requirements vary by county.
| State | Plaintiff Exhibits | Defendant Exhibits | Exchange Deadline | E-Filing System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | Set by the court's pretrial/scheduling order | AlaFile |
| Alaska | Numbers from 1 (yellow sticker) | Letters from A (blue sticker) | Set by the court's pretrial order; list filed at start of trial | TrueFiling (AKFile) |
| Arizona | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | Set by the Rule 16 pretrial order | AZTurboCourt |
| Arkansas | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Set by the circuit court's scheduling/pretrial order | eFlex |
| California | Numbers + yellow stickers | Letters + blue stickers | Varies by county and department | County-specific; most courts use Odyssey eFileCA through an approved… |
| Colorado | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | 42 days before trial for the exchange of draft witness and exhibit… | Colorado Courts E-Filing (formerly ICCES) |
| Connecticut | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | Set by the court's scheduling or pretrial order | Connecticut Judicial Branch E-Services |
| Delaware | Pre-marked per trial order | Pre-marked per trial order | Per the trial scheduling order | File & ServeXpress |
| Florida | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | No statewide deadline; set by the circuit's case management or trial… | Florida Courts E-Filing Portal |
| Georgia | Numbers, unified sequence | Numbers, same sequence | Exhibits must be marked by counsel before trial | eFileGA |
| Hawaii | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Exhibits marked for identification at least 1 day before trial | JEFS (Judiciary Electronic Filing System) |
| Idaho | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | Set by the pretrial/scheduling order | Idaho iCourt eFile (Odyssey File & Serve) |
| Illinois | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | Set by local rule or pretrial order; Cook County 14 days before trial | eFileIL |
| Indiana | Sequential numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Numbers, same sequence | Per Trial Rule 26 | IEFS via Odyssey |
| Iowa | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | At least 14 days before trial (7-day floor) | Iowa EDMS (Electronic Document Management System) |
| Kansas | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Set by pretrial order — no statewide deadline | Kansas eCourt |
| Kentucky | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | No statewide deadline in CR 16 | KYeCourts / KCOJ eFiling (Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling) |
| Louisiana | P-1, P-2, P-3... | D-1, D-2, D-3... | Set by the district court's pretrial order | eClerksLA |
| Maine | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Per the court's pretrial/scheduling order | eFileMaine |
| Maryland | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | No fixed statewide days-before-trial deadline | MDEC (Maryland Electronic Courts), via Odyssey File & Serve |
| Massachusetts | Single numeric series (1, 2, 3) | Same numeric series (1, 2, 3) | At or before the final trial conference | eFileMA (Odyssey File & Serve) |
| Michigan | Varies by court (no MCR rule) | Varies by court (no MCR rule) | Per the scheduling order entered under MCR 2.401(B)(2) | MiFile |
| Minnesota | Single numeric series, no prefix | Same numeric series, no prefix | Per the court's scheduling/pretrial order | eFile and eServe (eFS) for filings |
| Mississippi | Unified numbers (party-neutral) | Same sequence continues | Prior to case being called | MEC (optional) |
| Missouri | P-1, P-2, P-3... | D-1, D-2, D-3... | 14 days before trial | Show-Me Courts |
| Montana | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | Per pre-trial order; the plaintiff must convene a conference of all… | Montana Courts E-Filing (MTe-File) |
| Nebraska | Unified numbers (all parties) | Same sequence continues | Prior to trial — confirm the assigned judge's pretrial order | Nebraska Judicial Branch eFiling |
| Nevada | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | 30 days before trial (NRCP 16.1(a)(3)(B)(i)) | Odyssey File & Serve / eFileNV |
| New Hampshire | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Per the court's scheduling/trial management order | Odyssey File & Serve (NH Judicial Branch e-filing) |
| New Jersey | P-1, P-2, P-3... | D-A, D-B, D-C... | 7 days before the initial trial date (R. 4:25-7(b)) | eCourts |
| New Mexico | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Set by the scheduling/pretrial order under Rule 1-016 NMRA | Odyssey File & Serve (New Mexico Courts e-filing) |
| New York | Numbers (numerically tabbed) | Letters (alphabetically tabbed) | Set by the court at the pre-trial conference or by the assigned part's… | NYSCEF |
| North Carolina | P-1, P-2 (by local rule) | D-1, D-2 (by local rule) | Set by the pre-trial conference order — no statewide day-count confirmed | eCourts |
| North Dakota | P1, P2, P3... | D50, D51... (gapped block) | Per the scheduling order (N.D.R.Civ.P. 16) | Odyssey File & Serve (North Dakota Courts e-filing) |
| Ohio | PX-1, PX-2... (numbers) | DX-A, DX-B... (letters) | Commonly one week before trial, per local rule or trial order | County-run systems — no statewide e-filing portal for Courts of Common… |
| Oklahoma | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Per the pre-trial order — confirm the assigned judge's standing order | OSCN E-Filing Portal (transitioning to the OUCMS E-Filing Portal) |
| Oregon | Numbers 1-99 (assigned block) | Numbers 101-199 (block) | As ordered by the assigned judge | File & Serve |
| Pennsylvania | P-1, P-2 (by local rule) | D-1, D-2 (by local rule) | Pre-trial statements 60/30/15 days before earliest trial date | County-specific for the courts of common pleas |
| Rhode Island | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Per the pre-trial/scheduling order | Rhode Island Judiciary Electronic Filing System (EFS) |
| South Carolina | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Per the scheduling order — confirm the assigned judge's standing order | South Carolina E-Filing (Tybera) |
| South Dakota | Varies — commonly P-1, P-2 | Varies — commonly D-1, D-2 | Per the scheduling order or pretrial checklist | Odyssey File & Serve (South Dakota UJS File & Serve) |
| Tennessee | Varies — commonly P-1, P-2 | Varies — commonly D-1, D-2 | Per the scheduling/pretrial order | No statewide trial-court system |
| Texas | Varies by court; often P-1/PX-1 | Varies by court; often D-1/DX-1 | At least 30 days before trial | eFileTexas |
| Utah | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | At least 28 days before trial (URCP 26(a)(5)(A)) | Utah Courts eFiling… |
| Vermont | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Per the scheduling or pretrial order | eFile & Serve (eFileVT) |
| Virginia | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | 15 days before trial for exhibit and witness lists | VJEFS (Virginia Judiciary E-Filing System) for circuit courts |
| Washington | Numbers, joint sequence | Numbers, same joint sequence | King County: lists 21 days before trial; Joint Statement 5 days | County-specific — no statewide system |
| West Virginia | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Per the scheduling/pretrial order | West Virginia E-Filing (E-File) |
| Wisconsin | Commonly P-1, P-2... | Commonly D-1, D-2... | Per the scheduling or pretrial conference order under Wis. Stat | Wisconsin circuit court eFiling |
| Wyoming | Numbers (1, 2, 3...) | Letters (A, B, C...) | Before the initial pretrial conference; objections within 10 days | Wyoming Judicial Branch eFiling, on File & ServeXpress |
Data current as of January 2026. Always verify with your specific court for the most current requirements.
Exceptions Worth Knowing
Oregon assigns each party a block of exhibit numbers — plaintiffs use 1-99 and defendants 101-199 — so both sides use numbers without overlap. Several states, including Washington, run one joint numbered sequence for all parties. And Texas prescribes no statewide format at all: party-prefixed numbers such as P-1 and D-1 are common practice, but each court's docket control or pretrial order controls. Confirm the assigned court's convention before stamping.
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Court rules and e-filing requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with your local court clerk or official court website before filing. This content is for general reference only and does not constitute legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states require plaintiff exhibits to use numbers vs letters?
Most states follow the convention of plaintiffs using numbers (1, 2, 3) and defendants using letters (A, B, C), though in about a dozen states that convention is prevailing practice set by pretrial order rather than statewide rule. Notable exceptions: Oregon assigns each party a block of numbers (plaintiff 1-99, defendant 101-199), several states such as Washington use one joint numbered sequence for all parties, and Texas prescribes no format at all — party-prefixed numbers like P-1 and D-1 are simply the most common practice. Always verify with your specific court.
What is the typical exhibit exchange deadline?
There is no single typical deadline — many states set exhibit exchange through the judge's scheduling or pretrial order rather than a fixed statewide date. Where fixed deadlines exist they vary widely: Texas requires disclosure at least 30 days before trial under TRCP 194.4, Colorado requires draft exhibit lists 42 days before trial under C.R.C.P. 16(f), and New Jersey requires exchange just 7 days before the initial trial date under R. 4:25-7(b). Check your specific jurisdiction and case scheduling order.
Do all states require e-filing for exhibits?
E-filing requirements vary by state and often by county within states. Texas requires mandatory statewide e-filing via eFileTexas. California varies by county, with most courts routing filings through Odyssey eFileCA via an approved e-filing service provider. Some rural counties in states like Ohio and Louisiana still accept paper filings. Check your specific court requirements—e-filing may be mandatory, optional, or unavailable depending on location.
Are exhibit marking conventions the same in state and federal courts?
No. Federal courts follow the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) and Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE), which may differ from state conventions. Federal courts typically use sequential numbering for both parties with different prefixes (PX for plaintiff, DX for defendant). State courts more commonly use numbers for plaintiffs and letters for defendants. Always check the specific court rules where your case is pending.
How do I find my specific court exhibit requirements?
Start with your state court website for statewide rules, then check local court rules for your specific county or district. Many courts publish exhibit guidelines in standing orders or pretrial checklists. When in doubt, call the court clerk. ExhibitPrep offers state-specific guides for California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, and other major jurisdictions with detailed local requirements.