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Bates Number
Practical Law Glossary Item 8-509-9148 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Bates Number
A unique numeric or alphanumeric identifier attached to individual documents and pages to make each document and page easily identifiable and retrievable. Bates numbers are used in the legal, medical, and business fields. In the litigation context, lawyers typically affix Bates numbers to their clients' hard copy documents and electronically stored information (ESI) to track and identify documents that they:
- Receive from the client.
- Produce to the other parties in the case.
- Produce in response to a particular document request.
- Withhold from production on the basis of the attorney-client privilege, work product doctrine, or other privilege.
- Provide to expert witnesses or consultants.
Bates numbers are applied sequentially and usually contain letters that identify the party that affixed them to the documents. For example, if XYZ company produces 25,000 pages to an opponent, it may Bates number the production "XYZ_000001 - XYZ_025000." Some lawyers refer to Bates numbers as Bates stamps because at one time the numbers were physically stamped on each page. Today, most litigants produce documents electronically and use software that digitally applies Bates numbers to the documents.