Exhibit

Full Definition

An exhibit is a document, photograph, contract, or other piece of evidence that is formally introduced and admitted into evidence during a court proceeding. In small claims court security deposit hearings, exhibits might include: the signed lease, the deposit receipt, the move-in condition report, photographs from move-in and move-out, the demand letter with its certified mail receipt, the landlord's itemized statement (or the absence of one), invoices and receipts for claimed repairs, and any relevant text messages or emails. To properly use exhibits in court, the tenant should: make multiple copies (one for the judge, one for the landlord, one to keep); number or letter each exhibit clearly ('Exhibit A: Lease Agreement dated January 1, 2024'); prepare a brief cover sheet listing all exhibits; and know in advance what each exhibit proves so they can refer to it at the appropriate moment during testimony. In small claims courts, formal rules of evidence are relaxed, but labeling exhibits clearly still signals organization and credibility to the judge.