An exhibit can be correct in isolation and still be wrong for the filing. Replacing a two-page scan with a complete three-page document changes the references around it. This checklist is for the last preparation pass, when counsel’s selected evidence becomes the PDF set the court will receive.
Check Items as You Prepare. Your Checks Stay on This Page.
Lock the Exhibit List Before Final Pagination
Ask counsel to approve the exhibit list and order. Record whether each exhibit is the complete document or an approved excerpt. Preserve the source copy while preparing a separate version for labels and authorized redactions. The index should connect each exhibit to the passages that cite it, so a replacement triggers the necessary reference checks.
Run a Cross Check on the Actual PDFs
Inspect the exported files at a readable size. A word-processing preview cannot show whether the final PDF dropped a page, shifted a label or exposed text beneath a visual redaction.
| Check | Question |
|---|---|
| Identity | Is this the document counsel selected? |
| Completeness | Are all approved pages present? |
| Reference | Do filing citations point to the right exhibit and page? |
| Privacy | Have required redactions been reviewed? |
| Delivery | Does the final PDF meet this court’s instructions? |
Keep the Release Set Separate
Store the attorney approved release set in a clearly marked location with its final index. Prevent an older draft from being uploaded by identifying the exact filenames in the filing instructions. Save the filed version and confirmation afterward so the team can distinguish what it prepared from what the court received.
Use the Receiving Court’s Instructions
The Northern District of California’s CM/ECF instructions address exhibit attachments, separating larger filings and identifying exhibits with slip sheets. These are court specific instructions. Start with the actual court and judge’s current requirements rather than carrying over the format used in another case.