Editorial standards
Editorial standards
Our editorial standards explain how we research, write, review and update every page.
Primary sources first
Every legal statement on Lawtopolis must trace to a primary source — a constitution, statute, court rule, regulation or court decision — and link to the official text where one is available.
Editorial workflow
Every page moves through these states: Draft → Researched → Sources verified → Reviewed → Published → Review due. A page cannot be published until it has been reviewed, and it returns to review on a schedule.
Accuracy over completeness
If we cannot verify a point, we leave it out or label it unverified. We never invent citations, quotations, case outcomes or statistics.
Neutral explanation
We explain what the law says and how courts have applied it. We do not tell readers what to file or argue in their own matters.
Authors and reviewers
Author and reviewer credentials shown on a page are genuine. If a page has not been reviewed by a licensed attorney, it does not say it has.
See also our Source Policy and Corrections Policy.
Overview
Our editorial standards in practice
Our editorial standards start with one rule: every legal statement must trace to a primary source. First, we find the governing rule, statute or decision. Next, we summarize it in plain English, without adding claims the source does not make.
Then we link to the official text and record the date we checked it. As a result, you can always see where a point comes from and when we last confirmed it.
We also keep pages current. When a rule changes or a reader reports an error, we review the source again and update the page. In addition, a page that has not been checked recently is marked as due for review.
Finally, we never invent cases, quotes or statistics. For federal rules, our main source is the current federal court rules.
Lawtopolis provides legal information and education, not legal advice. Using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws and court rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time; verify every authority against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction about your situation.