For Paralegals & Litigation Staff

Everything You Need to Prepare a Court-Ready PDF — Free

Bates numbering, true redaction, exhibit merging, PDF/A conversion, and every other step in the e-filing checklist — free, in your browser, no signup. Your files are encrypted in transit and at rest, then deleted after processing.

Bates NumberingTrue RedactionPDF/A ConversionExhibit Merging
The Workflow

The E-Filing Prep Checklist

The order paralegals actually prepare a document set for filing — click any step to jump straight to that tool. Skip whatever doesn't apply to your document.

1

Merge exhibits into one file

Combine every document in the production into a single PDF, in the order you want them numbered.

2

Bates number the production

Stamp a continuous, sequential number on every page across every file — the standard way courts and opposing counsel expect pages to be cited.

3

Redact personal identifiers

FRCP 5.2 requires limiting SSNs, financial account numbers, and minors' names before filing — make sure it's true redaction, not a black box you can select around.

4

Highlight and mark up key passages

Flag the passages you'll cite at a hearing or in a brief, or mark clauses that need review.

5

Delete blank or unwanted pages

Strip cover sheets, blank separator pages, or anything that shouldn't be part of the final filing.

6

Add page numbers (if not Bates numbering)

For documents that don't need Bates numbers — briefs, memos — stamp standard sequential page numbers instead.

7

Add jump-links or a table of contents

Link "See Exhibit A" references directly to the exhibit, or auto-generate a clickable table of contents so a judge or clerk never has to flip pages to find a citation.

8

Convert to PDF/A

Embed fonts and a color profile so the file renders identically forever — most courts recommend this even where it isn't required, because it has the lowest e-filing rejection rate.

9

Check for password protection

Most e-filing systems reject encrypted PDFs outright — unlock the file before submitting, or protect it only after filing if you need to distribute it separately.

10

Split or compress if the file is too large

Court size limits vary — some e-filing systems cap submissions well under 50MB per file. If your production is too large, split it into parts or compress it.

Avoid a Bounced Filing

Common E-Filing Rejections and How to Avoid Them

File exceeds the court's size limit
Split into multiple filings or compress the PDF
PDF is password-protected or encrypted
Remove the password before submitting
Document isn't text-searchable
Use a version with a real OCR text layer, not a raw scan
Personal identifiers weren't properly redacted
Use true redaction (content removed), not a black box overlay
Non-standard page size or orientation
Confirm pages are Letter-size (or your court's required size) before filing

File size limits and format rules vary by court — check your specific court's local e-filing rules before submitting. As one data point, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California caps individual e-filed documents at 50MB.

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Your documents are protected by industry-leading security measures

AES-256 Encryption

Encrypted at rest and in transit

Auto-Delete

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Encrypted Transfer

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No Manual Review

Only automated systems touch your file

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Built for Legal Teams

Handle confidential documents with AES-256 encryption at rest and in transit, automatic deletion, and no third-party file review.

✓ Encrypted at rest & in transit
✓ No size limits
✓ Batch processing

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about PDF jump links

What is Bates numbering and do I need it?

Bates numbering stamps a unique sequential number on every page of a production (e.g. SMITH-000001) so pages can be cited and identified. It is the universally expected way to number exhibits and discovery productions, even though no rule mandates the exact format.

What's the difference between Bates numbers and exhibit stamps?

Bates numbers identify individual pages across an entire production. Exhibit stamps (Exhibit 1, Exhibit A) identify whole documents at trial — a trial exhibit index typically references both together.

Do courts accept password-protected PDFs?

Generally no — most e-filing systems reject encrypted or password-protected PDFs outright. Remove any password protection before filing, and add it back only if the recipient explicitly requires it.

What is PDF/A and do I need it for e-filing?

PDF/A is an archival format that embeds fonts and a color profile so a document renders identically forever. Most courts recommend it — rather than require it — because it has the lowest rate of e-filing rejection for malformed-document errors.

Why was my PDF rejected during e-filing?

The most common causes are: the file exceeds the court's size limit, the PDF is password-protected, the document isn't text-searchable (a raw scan with no OCR layer), or the page size/orientation is non-standard. Each court sets its own rules — check your court's local e-filing guidance before submitting.

Is it safe to prepare confidential legal documents with free online tools?

Look for tools that state plainly what happens to your file: encrypted in transit and at rest, and deleted after processing rather than retained. Every tool on this page follows that model — files are never reviewed by a person or used to train any model.

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