Should You Pay a Paralegal to Sort Screenshots for Court? (Pros, Cons & Costs)
Last updated November 2025
When preparing for a custody case, many people feel overwhelmed by the amount of evidence they need to organize: hundreds of screenshots, long message threads, photos, emails, and documents. One option is to hire a paralegal to sort everything manually — but is it worth the cost?
This guide breaks down what paralegals actually do, how much it costs, how long it takes, and the modern alternatives available today.
1. What Paralegals Typically Do When Sorting Screenshots
If you hand over raw evidence, a paralegal often needs to:
- rename each file clearly
- organize images in chronological order
- pull out important messages or patterns
- summarize incidents for attorneys
- build an exhibit list or packet
This work matters — but it’s extremely time-consuming.
2. How Much It Costs
Most paralegals charge:
- $25–$60 per hour (independent)
- $75–$200 per hour (through a law firm)
Sorting screenshots is slow. A typical custody case takes:
- 5–10 hours for light cases
- 15–25 hours for mid-size cases
- 30+ hours for heavy evidence sets
Total cost: $300–$4,000+ depending on volume.
3. The Pros of Hiring a Paralegal
- They understand legal formatting and expectations
- They can prepare exhibit lists and PDFs
- Attorneys trust their work
- They reduce client overwhelm
4. The Cons of Hiring a Paralegal
- High cost for manual sorting
- Slow turnaround — sometimes days or weeks
- Work quality varies widely
- You still need to deliver screenshots in order
5. Modern Alternative: AI-Assisted Evidence Organization
Most small firms are now turning to automation because it eliminates the repetitive work paralegals spend the most time on:
- renaming files
- sorting images chronologically
- summarizing messages
- detecting patterns or violations
A tool like CaseBuilder automates the heavy lifting, freeing paralegal time for higher-value tasks.
6. Final Recommendation
If you have hundreds of screenshots, a paralegal alone may cost more than the evidence is worth. A hybrid approach works best:
- Use automation to organize and summarize
- Have a paralegal review and finalize exhibits
This delivers quality and reduces billable hours dramatically.