Vermont Digital Evidence Portal (VDEP): Submitting Evidence for Small Claims

When You Need the VDEP

If your small claims defense relies on audio recordings, video files, or digital media that can't be easily printed, the Vermont Digital Evidence Portal (VDEP) is the official channel for getting that evidence in front of the judge.

The judge will not look at your phone screen or other mobile device directly. Audio, video, and other non-PDF digital evidence must be submitted before trial through the Vermont Digital Evidence Portal (VDEP); electronic filers submit digital exhibits through Odyssey File & Serve (OFS).

For standard documents like contracts, receipts, emails, and photos, printed paper copies are still the preferred format for in-person hearings. VDEP is for audio, video, and other non-PDF digital evidence.

What to Upload

Common evidence types defendants submit through the VDEP:

• Audio recordings of conversations with the plaintiff
• Video evidence of property conditions, completed work, vehicle defects, or incidents relevant to the dispute
• Large photo sets — if you have dozens of photos documenting a project or property condition over time, uploading them digitally is more practical than printing each one
• Screen recordings showing digital transactions, payment confirmations, or online communications that are hard to capture in a screenshot

How to Submit

Your hearing notice or the clerk's office will provide the VDEP upload link and any case-specific instructions. The general process:

1. Prepare your files. Name each file clearly — kitchen-damage-photo-01.jpg is better than IMG_4382.jpg. The judge and the opposing party will see these filenames.
2. Upload before the deadline. The hearing notice will typically specify when digital evidence must be submitted. Don't wait until the last day; the evidence must be submitted before trial.
3. Include a brief description of each file when the portal asks for one. "Audio recording of phone call with plaintiff on March 15, 2026 discussing completion timeline" helps the judge understand what they're about to review.
4. Confirm receipt. Follow the portal's confirmation steps and any case-specific instructions in your hearing notice. Contact the clerk's office if you have trouble confirming that the files were received.

If you're filing electronically through Odyssey File & Serve (OFS), you upload digital exhibits there as part of your e-filing. PDF files must be flattened before upload or the system will reject them.

Preparing Exhibits for Maximum Impact

Uploading evidence is the easy part. Organizing it so the judge can follow your argument is where defendants trip up.

Create an exhibit list. Number each piece of evidence (Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, etc.) and write a one-line description of what it shows and why it matters to your case. Bring this list to the hearing — whether in person or on Zoom — so you can refer the judge to specific exhibits by number.

Match exhibits to your testimony. Before the hearing, plan the order of your presentation. When you describe what happened on March 15, you should be able to say "as shown in Exhibit 3" and have the judge pull up that exact file. Jumping randomly between exhibits wastes time and weakens your presentation.

Don't over-submit. Ten well-chosen exhibits that directly support your defense are more effective than fifty that repeat the same point. The judge has other cases that day. Respect their time by curating what matters.

What If Your Evidence Is Only on Your Phone

If you recorded a conversation or took photos and the originals are on your phone, transfer them to a computer before uploading. Email the files to yourself, use a cloud service, or connect your phone directly. If you have trouble uploading from your phone, try a computer or contact the clerk.

If you only have one or two photos, printing them in color at a good resolution may be simpler than using the VDEP at all. The portal is most useful when you have media that genuinely can't be printed — audio, video, or large volumes of images.

Tying It All Together

Evidence organization — knowing what you have, what format it's in, and how it connects to your defense — is one of the most overlooked parts of responding to a small claims case. The Responding to a Small Claims Case in Vermont guide includes an evidence organizer and exhibit index worksheet that helps you catalog every piece of documentation before you start uploading or printing.

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