Are screenshots of text messages admissible in court?

How courts generally look at text messages

In the United States, courts apply rules of evidence such as the Federal Rules of Evidence in federal court, and similar rules in each state. One of the main questions is authentication: is there enough to show the messages are what they claim to be, typically through the testimony of someone who sent or received them, and details such as the phone number and what the messages say.

Other questions can come up too, such as whether the messages are hearsay and whether the copy is complete enough to be fair. These are legal questions, and the answers depend on the case and the court.

Why screenshots get challenged

• They show a contact name you chose, not the number the message came from.
• Most messages have no visible date or exact time.
• It is hard to tell what was left out between two screenshots.
• Images are easy to edit, and nothing on a screenshot says when or how it was taken.
• Long threads turn into a stack of images that is hard for anyone to follow.

What tends to make text evidence easier to rely on

• The full conversation, or every message in a stated date range, in order.
• The date and time of each message, with the time zone, and each sender’s number.
• A note on how, when and from what device the copy was made.
• The original phone, kept as it is, so the messages can be checked against it.
• A way to show the copy has not changed since it was made, such as a SHA-256 hash of each file.

What to keep in mind

• This page is general information, not legal advice, and it is not about any particular court. Rules differ by country, state, court and type of case.
• No export format, including ours, guarantees that a court will admit the messages.
• Ask your lawyer, or the court clerk if you do not have one, what they need. Small claims and family courts often publish their own exhibit rules.

Questions