{
  "updated": "2026-06-25",
  "purpose": "Phase 5 Evidence Strength Ladder and Claim Classifier for the Epstein Command Center. This makes public-facing evidence stronger by showing readers exactly how much weight each record type carries.",
  "boundary": "The stronger the claim, the stronger the required evidence. Conviction, plea, court finding, authenticated exhibit, sworn testimony, email record, flight/contact record, settlement, news report, and speculation are not the same evidentiary weight.",
  "levels": [
    {
      "level": "Level 1",
      "name": "Conviction / Plea / Court Finding",
      "strength": "Highest public-record weight",
      "claimAllowed": "The site may state the finding precisely and link to the legal record.",
      "needs": [
        "court record",
        "judgment",
        "plea",
        "sentencing record",
        "authenticated legal source"
      ],
      "warning": "Do not extend the finding beyond the named person, charge, count, court, and date."
    },
    {
      "level": "Level 2",
      "name": "Authenticated Exhibit / Official Disclosure",
      "strength": "Very strong document weight",
      "claimAllowed": "The site may state that the document exists, what it says, and where it came from.",
      "needs": [
        "official release",
        "court exhibit",
        "committee release",
        "agency publication",
        "stable source link"
      ],
      "warning": "The document proves the record item; interpretation still needs context."
    },
    {
      "level": "Level 3",
      "name": "Sworn Testimony / Deposition / Congressional Testimony",
      "strength": "Strong claim record",
      "claimAllowed": "The site may state that a person testified, alleged, denied, or described something under a formal process.",
      "needs": [
        "transcript",
        "deposition",
        "sworn filing",
        "committee record",
        "court citation"
      ],
      "warning": "Sworn testimony is evidence, not automatic final truth unless adopted by a court or finding."
    },
    {
      "level": "Level 4",
      "name": "Email / Schedule / Ledger / Contact Record",
      "strength": "Strong network-trail weight",
      "claimAllowed": "The site may state that a communication, scheduling item, payment trail, or contact record exists and classify its network function.",
      "needs": [
        "email archive",
        "schedule",
        "ledger",
        "contact book",
        "metadata/context"
      ],
      "warning": "Contact proves contact. It does not automatically prove motive, knowledge, or criminal conduct."
    },
    {
      "level": "Level 5",
      "name": "Flight / Visitor / Property / Logistics Record",
      "strength": "Strong presence/logistics trail",
      "claimAllowed": "The site may state a recorded travel, property, visitor, or logistics trail and ask what it connects to.",
      "needs": [
        "flight log",
        "visitor record",
        "property record",
        "staff testimony",
        "date and location context"
      ],
      "warning": "Presence is not automatic participation. Tie it to dates, context, and other records."
    },
    {
      "level": "Level 6",
      "name": "Settlement / NDA / Legal Threat / Sealed-Record Lane",
      "strength": "Silence-management weight",
      "claimAllowed": "The site may state that a settlement, NDA, sealing fight, or legal-pressure event exists and explain why it affects public knowledge.",
      "needs": [
        "court docket",
        "settlement reporting",
        "motion to seal",
        "subpoena record",
        "public legal statement"
      ],
      "warning": "Settlement is not automatic admission unless the record says so."
    },
    {
      "level": "Level 7",
      "name": "Reputable Reporting / Named Source Summary",
      "strength": "Useful but secondary weight",
      "claimAllowed": "The site may summarize what a reputable outlet reported and link to it while seeking the underlying file.",
      "needs": [
        "named publication",
        "date",
        "author/outlet",
        "source description",
        "corroboration path"
      ],
      "warning": "Reporting is not the same as the underlying document. Use it as a route into the record."
    },
    {
      "level": "Level 8",
      "name": "Open Question / Pattern Signal / Speculation Quarantine",
      "strength": "Question only",
      "claimAllowed": "The site may ask a labelled question if it names the triggering record and what would confirm or falsify the theory.",
      "needs": [
        "triggering record",
        "missing evidence list",
        "confirmation standard",
        "falsification condition"
      ],
      "warning": "Never write speculation as fact. Never add a name without a record."
    }
  ],
  "claimClassifier": [
    {
      "claimType": "Person named in file",
      "allowedLanguage": "The file names this person or entity in this record context.",
      "forbiddenShortcut": "Named in file = guilty"
    },
    {
      "claimType": "Contact or correspondence",
      "allowedLanguage": "The record supports contact, communication, or relationship-frequency analysis.",
      "forbiddenShortcut": "Contact = knowledge of crimes"
    },
    {
      "claimType": "Presence or travel",
      "allowedLanguage": "The record supports a presence/logistics trail that must be cross-checked against date, place, witness, and purpose.",
      "forbiddenShortcut": "Presence = participation"
    },
    {
      "claimType": "Money or philanthropy",
      "allowedLanguage": "The record supports a money, access, legitimacy, consulting, donation, or reputation-laundering question.",
      "forbiddenShortcut": "Payment = criminal guilt"
    },
    {
      "claimType": "Settlement or NDA",
      "allowedLanguage": "The record supports a silence-management, legal-pressure, or private-resolution question.",
      "forbiddenShortcut": "Settlement = admission"
    },
    {
      "claimType": "Contradiction",
      "allowedLanguage": "The record conflicts with a public statement or creates a credibility-pressure lane.",
      "forbiddenShortcut": "Contradiction = proof of underlying allegation"
    },
    {
      "claimType": "Conviction or court finding",
      "allowedLanguage": "The site may state the conviction or finding exactly as the court record supports it.",
      "forbiddenShortcut": "One person’s conviction = everyone around them is guilty"
    }
  ]
}