Editorial Standards & Ethics

  1. Sourcing. We check every factual claim against a primary source (court filing, docket, police or government record, recording, or on-the-record interview) before we publish. We link or cite that source.
  2. Fairness. We seek comment from people and agencies named in our reporting, and we update stories with their responses.
  3. Private individuals. We don’t accuse named private people of crimes or misconduct unless a court record or official finding supports it. Allegations are labeled as allegations and attributed.
  4. Charges are not convictions. We report case outcomes as they appear in the record: convicted, found not guilty, dismissed, pending.
  5. Opinion. Commentary is labeled “Opinion” and kept separate from news.
  6. Conflicts. We disclose the owner’s personal involvement in any story we cover (see About).
  7. Anonymous sources. Used only when the information is vital, can’t be gotten on the record, and is corroborated. We explain why we granted anonymity.
  8. Images & AI. We don’t alter photos in ways that mislead. AI-generated images are labeled, and we never use AI to fabricate quotes or documents.
  9. Gifts & payments. We don’t pay sources or accept gifts that could influence coverage.
  10. Corrections. See our Corrections Policy.