Educational information only. Not legal advice. Not a law firm. Read the full notice
Evidence

Documents, records and proof

Documents are often the strongest evidence in a case, because they exist apart from anyone's memory. Keep them in order.

  • About 2 minread
  • General ideashold in most courts
  • Checked October 26, 2026educational only
The short version

Letters, notices, statements and records all can be proof. What matters is that you can show where each one came from.

Keep originals safe

Store originals somewhere safe and work from copies. Keep a note of where each original is.

Label what you file

Give each document a clear label and refer to it by that label in your papers.

Note where it came from

For each document, write down who sent it, when you received it and how.

The Pro Se Field Workbook

Take this page further

The Pro Se Field Workbook turns pages like this into questions you answer for your own case. It never tells you what to do in your case; it asks the questions that help you find out.

$14.99
Printable PDF.

Last checked: October 26, 2026. This page covers general ideas that hold in most courts. Rules differ by state and by court, so look up the rules for yours.

Educational information only. Not legal advice, not a law firm, and no attorney-client relationship. Nothing here tells you what to do in your own case.