ScribeHold for attorneys and small firms
Your client produces the export themselves on their own Windows PC. You receive a court-ready, verifiable bundle ready to attach to a pleading — without taking possession of the device.
How the Legal Export Pack works for your matter
- You tell the client to install ScribeHold Free and purchase the Legal Export Pack ($44.99 one-time; $34.99 for Pro subscribers).
- The client enters the matter caption, case number, jurisdiction, and your firm/bar information once. Every export from that point on is bound to those values.
- The client runs the export at home. Messages and attachments never leave their PC and never pass through ScribeHold infrastructure.
- The client emails you the bundle. You attach the PDF/A to your pleading and retain the manifest and metadata for production or rebuttal.
What ships in the bundle
- Bates-numbered PDF/A. The format clerks and opposing counsel expect, with a stable numbering convention applied across the matter.
- Matter binding. Case caption, case number, jurisdiction, and firm/bar information are stamped into every page and into the manifest. The client cannot produce a non-conforming export against that matter.
- SHA-256 manifest. A separate manifest file listing each message and attachment with its hash, so any later alteration is detectable.
- Affidavit-of-authenticity cover. A ready-to-sign cover page recording how, when, and from which device the export was produced — aligned with FRE 902(14) self-authentication.
- Per-message metadata CSV. Timestamps, sender/recipient handles, message types, and attachment references in a spreadsheet your paralegal can sort, filter, and excerpt.
- Full-resolution attachment bundle. Photos, videos, audio, and documents preserved at original resolution alongside the PDF/A, not re-encoded thumbnails.
- Batch export by date range or conversation. Carve out just the threads relevant to the matter; re-run as the case develops.
- Saveable export templates. Once the matter is set up, the client can re-run the same export against newer message data without re-entering caption fields.
- Perpetual unlock; unlimited re-exports per matter. No subscription tail, no per-export fee.
ScribeHold is an export tool. The Legal Export Pack produces an authenticated archive of messages as they exist on the device at export time; it does not substitute for a forensic analyst when one is required by your case strategy.
How ScribeHold compares
| Your question | ScribeHold | iMazing | Decipher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will my export hold up if opposing counsel objects? | ✅ Bates-numbered PDF/A, separate SHA-256 manifest, affidavit cover, and per-message metadata CSV — all matter-bound to your case caption and jurisdiction | ❌ No Bates numbering, no hash manifest, no affidavit cover * | ❌ Single PDF export; no separate manifest, no affidavit cover * |
| Does it sync automatically in the background? | ✅ Windows Service — plug in + tap your passcode once; ScribeHold detects, backs up, and indexes automatically. No app to open. [1] | ✅* iMazing Mini provides background backups on Windows * [2] | ❌ Manual; requires iTunes installed and the app open * |
| What does it cost? | ✅ $2.99/mo or $19.99/yr Pro · $44.99 one-time Legal Export Pack ($34.99 with Pro) · Free for 30 days | ❌ $29.99–$49.99/yr — no monthly tier; subscription-only since June 2025 * | ✅ $29.99 one-time PDF tool — no monthly tier * |
| Can I find any message in seconds? | ✅ Full-text search (SQLite FTS5) across iMessage, SMS, MMS, RCS | ✅ Search within the app | ❌ Print/export tool; no searchable archive * |
| Can I use this on my Windows PC? | ✅ Windows-first | ✅ Windows + Mac | ✅ Windows + Mac |
| Can I use this on my Mac? | ❌ Windows-only by design | ✅ | ✅ |
| Does it support WhatsApp? | ❌ iMessage, SMS, MMS, RCS only | ✅ | ❌ Requires separate Decipher Chat product * |
[1] USB connection and a passcode tap on the device are required for each backup (Apple requires this on iOS 16.1+). [2] iMazing Mini's background-sync behaviour on Windows has not been independently verified by ScribeHold. Claim sourced from imazing.com/mini. Competitor claims verified May 2026. Sources: imazing.com, deciphertools.com.