Tiff image meaning

TIFF image (Tagged Image File Format) describes a page‑accurate, fixed‑layout image file used in legal practice to represent documents for disclosure/eDisclosure, scanning and, less commonly, electronic bundles. It is a technical, descriptive term rather than one defined in legislation or case law. TIFFs replicate the appearance of the printed page, making them suitable for Bates numbering, endorsements and reliable redaction. They do not carry native application behaviour and typically do not include embedded searchable text or original file metadata; searchable text is added via OCR or accompanying text files. Standard practice in productions is single‑page TIFFs (often CCITT Group IV compressed) with load files and page‑level text, optimised for document review platforms. Multi‑page TIFFs exist but are less common. Across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, use is broadly consistent. The production format is usually agreed in a disclosure protocol or ordered by the court. Under PD 57AD in England & Wales and analogous practice elsewhere, parties may instead produce in native format or searchable PDF where appropriate. TIFF is robust for emails and scanned documents but is often unsuitable for spreadsheets, databases and other dynamic files. Courts frequently require PDFs for hearing bundles.