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Sources

Methodology

The sources, the publishing bar, and the AI rules.

Last reviewed: May 14, 2026

The source ladder

  1. Primary

    SupremeCourt.gov

    Dockets, orders, briefs, transcripts, audio, opinions.

  2. Index

    CourtListener

    Docket and document indexes.

  3. Context

    SCOTUSblog, Oyez, Reuters, AP

    Background only. Never overrides the record.

When sources disagree, primary court materials control.

Going public

  • Cases publish after identifiers, source links, status, and substantive fields pass checks.
  • Discovery favors current-term, reviewed pages. Thin records wait.
  • Limited pages show traceable basics — no generated narrative until metadata completes.

Verification labels

Verified

Grounded in primary materials or reviewed snapshots.

Best effort

Primary plus trusted secondary sources; may shift.

Limited

Trust only the timeline, source trail, and primary documents.

AI guardrails

  • Modules publish only with source names, URLs, retrieval timestamps, tier, and generation metadata.
  • Issue hubs link from reviewed tags only — never unreviewed AI proposals.
  • Generated text is source-checked; official filings and opinions stay authoritative.

Corrections

  • Fixes start from the cited source trail; suspect pages leave discovery while repaired.
  • Material changes land on this page.