Whether you are producing documents or receiving them, the value of a production depends on being able to find any page quickly and prove where it came from. That comes down to a few habits applied every time.
Keep the original untouched
Save the production exactly as received, with the date and source, before anything is converted or renamed. Work only from copies.
Number every page
Bates numbers give each page a unique, permanent address. Use a consistent prefix per source, and never reuse a range. Our Bates number generator plans ranges for multiple volumes.
Build an index
- Bates range, date, author, recipient and a short description for each document.
- The source and the date received.
- Any confidentiality designation the documents carry.
Log what you send and receive
Keep a production log: volume, Bates range, date, method and recipient. When questions come up months later, the log answers them in seconds.
Leave the judgment calls to counsel
What to produce, what to withhold and how to designate it are decisions for the supervising attorney. Organized files simply make those decisions faster.
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This article is general information, not legal, tax or regulatory advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible agency or a licensed professional.
