Bates numbering a discovery response without a lawyer

Published October 27, 2026

If you represent yourself in a divorce, custody, employment or other civil case, the other side may send you a request for production: a numbered list of documents to hand over. Putting a Bates number on every page you produce gives both sides one way to refer to any page, and gives you a record of exactly what you sent. This page goes through it step by step. This is general information, not legal advice. A lawyer or your court's self-help center can answer questions about your own case.

What numbering does for you

• A record. "I produced SMITH-000001 to SMITH-000212 on May 4" says exactly what you sent. If someone later says a page was missing, your numbered copy shows what was in the set.
• Clear references. In a letter, a hearing or a deposition, "SMITH-000047" points to one page. "The second page of the March statement" can mean several.
• A link to your written response. Your answer to each request can name the pages that go with it: "Produced at SMITH-000001 to SMITH-000036." See responding to a request for production.
• Less sorting later. Pages that get printed or shuffled go back in order by number.

Small claims is different in some states. In California, Code of Civil Procedure section 116.310(b) says the pretrial discovery procedures "are not permitted in small claims actions". Numbering the copies you bring to a hearing can still help everyone find the same page.

Step by step

1. Read the request and its deadline. Note each request's number. In federal court the written response is due 30 days after service under Rule 34(b)(2)(A), unless the parties agree or the court orders a different time. State rules set their own.
2. Gather the documents for each request. Download statements as PDFs where you can, and scan paper. A scan is a picture of the page with no text inside unless it was run through text recognition, which matters for searching it later.
3. Put the files in order. Federal Rule 34(b)(2)(E)(i) says a party "must produce documents as they are kept in the usual course of business or must organize and label them to correspond to the categories in the request". Some state rules ask for more: California's Code of Civil Procedure section 2031.280(a) says documents produced "shall be identified with the specific request number to which the documents respond." Grouping files by request number keeps that simple.
4. Look for private numbers. Bank statements, pay stubs and tax returns carry Social Security and account numbers. Whether anything can be blacked out in a production depends on the rules, any protective order and what the parties agree, and a lawyer or the self-help center can tell you. A box drawn on top of text does not remove it from the file; see why black box redactions fail and redacting SSNs and account numbers.
5. Number every page. One prefix, usually your last name, and one run of numbers across all the files in order, starting at 1. See Bates number format.
6. Make an index. One line per file with its range and a description (below).
7. Keep an exact copy of everything, then send it the way the request describes or as agreed with the other side.

Keeping a copy

The numbered files you send are the record. Keep them exactly as sent, in one folder with the written response, the index and a note of the date and how you sent them (email, a download link, a USB drive, paper). Opening a PDF and saving it again can change the file, so the copy is best left untouched. A SHA-256 fingerprint of each file, listed in the index, lets you show later that a file is the same one you sent; the production index guide explains how.

A simple index

The index is your own record, and it is easy to send along with the documents if you choose to. It is not a privilege log, which lists documents held back as privileged.

If more documents turn up later

Federal Rule 26(e)(1)(A) says a party who has responded to a request for production must supplement or correct the response "in a timely manner if the party learns that in some material respect the disclosure or response is incomplete or incorrect". A later batch continues the numbers: if the first ended at SMITH-000046, the next starts at SMITH-000047. See rolling productions.

BatesNumbering.app does the numbering and the index in your browser, without uploading the files, and in the same pass looks for Social Security, account, routing and card numbers for you to review, with the option to keep the last four digits. The first 10 pages are free, which covers a small response.

Common questions

Do I need to Bates number documents if I represent myself?

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure do not mention Bates numbers, but a court order or an agreement between the parties can ask for them. Even where it is not required, numbering gives you a record of exactly what you sent; a lawyer or your court's self-help center can say what applies to your case.

What prefix do I use for Bates numbers?

A short prefix naming you as the producing party, often your last name, as in SMITH-000001. The same prefix is used for every batch in the case so that no two pages share a number.

How long do I have to respond to a request for production?

In federal court, Rule 34 gives 30 days after being served, unless the parties agree to a different time or the court orders one. State rules differ; California's Code of Civil Procedure section 2031.260 also gives 30 days after service.

Do I keep a copy of what I produce?

Keeping an exact copy of the numbered files, the written response and the date and way you sent them is how you show later what was in the set. A SHA-256 fingerprint of each file in the index shows the file has not changed.

Or check a PDF for numbers left in it, free →

More guides: What is Bates numbering · Bates numbering without Acrobat · Bates number format and examples · Exhibit numbers vs Bates numbers · How to redact a PDF for free · Redacting SSNs and account numbers in court filings · Redacting a bank statement · Why black box redactions fail · Redacting a PDF on iPhone or Mac · A document production index · Rolling productions · Responding to a request for production · Bates and redaction tools compared · batesstamp.com alternatives · RedactifyAI alternatives · Adobe Acrobat alternatives for Bates and redaction