You have full control over Bates stamp format and appearance in Hintyr. Configure numbering mode, position, prefix, suffix, digit padding, font, size, and color to match your production requirements and court specifications.
Numbering mode
The Mode setting determines whether Bates numbers are assigned per document or per page:
- Document - One Bates number per file, regardless of page count. Suited for internal reviews and matters where page-level citation isn't needed.
- Page - One Bates number per page. A 15-page document gets 15 sequential numbers. This is the standard for most litigation productions and the default mode.
Position
The Position setting controls where the Bates stamp appears on each page. Available positions are:
- Auto - Hintyr scans each page and places the stamp in the first clear corner. See auto position for details.
- Bottom Right - The most common placement for Bates stamps in litigation.
- Bottom Left - Used when bottom-right conflicts with existing page content.
- Top Right - Useful for documents with footer content.
- Top Left - Alternative placement for specific production requirements.
Prefix and suffix
The Prefix is custom text before the numeric portion of the Bates number, up to 20 characters. Common prefixes include the producing party's name, initials, or a case identifier (for example, "SMITH", "DEF", or "DOC_").
The Suffix is optional text that appears after the numeric portion. It can also be up to 20 characters. Suffixes are commonly used to indicate document categories such as "-PRIV" for privileged documents referenced in privilege logs, "-CONF" for confidential, or "-DRAFT" for draft versions.
Start index and digit padding
The Start Index sets the first number in the sequence. For an initial production, this is typically 1. For supplemental productions, set it to the number right after the last one in the previous production to keep the sequence continuous.
The Digits setting controls zero-padding: the minimum number of digits in the numeric portion. The range is 1 to 15, with a default of 5. With 5 digits, the number 1 appears as "00001". With 7 digits, it appears as "0000001". Choose enough digits to cover the total pages you expect to produce. Once set, padding stays consistent across the entire sequence.
Typography settings
You control the visual appearance of the stamp:
- Font - Choose from Helvetica, Arial, Franklin Gothic (default), Times New Roman, or Courier. Pick one that stays legible at small sizes and fits the production context.
- Size - Set the font size between 8pt and 72pt. The default is 12pt. Smaller sizes are less intrusive on the page content, while larger sizes ensure visibility on scanned or lower-quality documents.
- Color - Choose from Black, White, Orange, or Red. Black is the standard for most productions. White is useful on dark-background documents. Orange and Red can indicate special document categories.
Advanced layout options
Two additional layout options keep stamps legible on all document types:
- Auto-adjust for landscape - When enabled, Hintyr rotates the stamp 90 degrees on landscape-oriented pages so it reads correctly relative to the page content.
- Add white space - When enabled, Hintyr expands the page margin if the stamp would overlap existing content. This keeps the number readable without obscuring document text.