Evidence that cannot be authenticated or has been altered — even accidentally — can be excluded or given less weight. Good evidence habits from day one make a significant difference.
Preserve originals
Never write on, highlight, or modify original documents. If you receive a paper letter, keep the envelope — it shows the postmark. For emails, export them as PDF with headers visible (showing sender, recipient, date and message ID). Do not forward and re-forward until the original header information is lost.
Screenshot with context
When capturing messages or social media posts, show the full screen including the URL bar, date and time shown by the device, and the sender's name or handle. Take the screenshot on the day — retroactive screenshots are harder to authenticate.
Date everything
Contemporaneous notes — written at the time, not reconstructed later — carry far more weight. If something significant happens, write a brief note that day: what was said, who was present, where, and at what time. Email it to yourself to create a timestamped record.
Organise by date and topic
A court bundle is organised chronologically. If you have hundreds of disorganised files, creating a bundle becomes expensive. Keep a folder for each dispute, labelled by date, from the start.