Glossary

25 terms that come up when you turn text message screenshots into a document. Each entry links to the guide that shows the term in use.

• Exhibit

  A document or object presented as part of a case, given a label such as Exhibit A.

• Exhibit cover page

  The first page of an exhibit, stating what the document is before any content appears.

• Declaration

  A short written statement of first-hand facts, often used to describe how an exhibit was made.

• Bates numbering

  A unique sequential identifier stamped on every page of a document production.

• Redaction

  Permanently removing information from a document, usually with a solid opaque box.

• Redaction log

  A page listing each redaction in a document with its page number and reason.

• Hash

  A fixed-length fingerprint of a file that changes completely if the file changes.

• SHA-256

  The standard hash function ThreadProof uses, producing a 64-character fingerprint.

• Hash appendix

  A page at the end of an exhibit listing each source file with its hash.

• Chain of custody

  A record of who held an item and when, from collection to presentation.

• Metadata

  Data about a file, such as its creation time, dimensions, and device.

• Timestamp

  The date and time shown beside a message, displayed in the phone's time zone.

• Screenshot

  An image of exactly what a screen displayed at the moment of capture.

• Stitching

  Joining consecutive screenshots by detecting the overlapping region between them.

• Scrolling screenshot

  A single tall image produced by a phone capturing several screens at once.

• Discovery

  The stage where parties exchange documents relevant to a matter.

• Small claims

  A simplified court process for lower-value disputes, often without lawyers.

• Custody matter

  A family matter concerning arrangements for children, often involving co-parenting messages.

• Landlord and tenant dispute

  A dispute over a tenancy, often turning on repair reports and payment messages.

• HR investigation

  A workplace process reviewing a complaint, often reading message threads.

• iMessage

  Apple's messaging service, shown as blue bubbles in the Messages app.

• SMS

  The standard text message service carried by mobile networks.

• Vanish mode

  A messaging setting where messages disappear after being viewed.

• Chat export

  A file produced by an app containing a conversation's content, without its appearance.

• Page numbering

  Numbering every page against a total, such as Page 4 of 22.

Browse the guides · Open the exhibit builder · Start with one screenshot