How do I submit text messages as evidence?
Last reviewed 1 November 2026
You need a readable copy that shows who sent each message and when, a way to show the messages are genuine, and the court's own filing steps.
Rules differ by country, court and type of case, and the court decides what it accepts. Start by asking the court office.
What are the steps?
- Ask the court office how it takes evidence. Paper, upload or at the hearing? Is there a deadline? How many copies?
- Keep the original. Don't delete anything. Keep the phone and the unedited thread.
- Make a readable copy. Every message needs its date, time and sender. See how to print text messages for court and screenshot or export.
- Number the pages and write a short list of what each one is.
- Be ready to say it's genuine. You will usually need to explain how you know. See below.
- Hand it in the way the court says. Not by a method you assume.
How do you show messages are genuine?
| United States (federal rules) | England and Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| Test | You produce evidence "sufficient to support a finding" the item is what you say it is (Rule 901(a)) | The court may direct how evidence is put before it (CPR 32.1(1)) |
| Typical route | Your own testimony that it is what you say (Rule 901(b)(1)); content and context (Rule 901(b)(4)) | A signed witness statement, verified by a statement of truth (CPR 22.1) |
| Printouts | A printout that accurately reflects electronic data can count as an original (Rule 1001(d)) | Exhibit the copy to your statement and keep the original available (Practice Direction 32) |
State and local courts have their own rules. UK litigants in person: WhatsApp messages as evidence in England and Wales. General question first: are text messages admissible in court?
Questions people ask
Can I just hand the judge my phone?
Ask first. Many courts want copies on file, and you will want your phone back.
What if the other side says it's fake?
Then genuineness becomes the issue. Keep the original thread and any detail that links it to them, such as names, numbers and replies.
General information only, not legal advice. VaultXT is not a law firm and can't promise any court will accept a document.