How we verify

Verification tiers

Each finding carries one tier, shown beside the claim it supports:

▪Verified against official source

Confirmed against a primary or official source that we cite.

◪Corroborated by reporting — confirm primary record

Corroborated by multiple reputable sources, but the primary official record was not directly obtained — confirm it yourself.

†Reported — not independently confirmed

Asserted by a source (including documents provided to us) but not independently confirmed.

—Could not be independently verified

We looked and could not confirm it. Shown as an open item, not hidden.

Verdict vocabulary

A dossier's Assessment is drawn from a fixed, finite set:

Proceed

No adverse findings recorded — not an endorsement.

Proceed with conditions

Material concerns to resolve in writing first.

Do not proceed

Unresolved critical defect — do not pay or commit.

Insufficient verification

Critical matters undetermined — confirm at source.

The checklist

We assess eight areas: environmental authorization, building permit & zoning, litigation & closures, title & liens, ownership structure, payments & escrow, contract & consumer rights, and marketing vs. reality. Each is rated critical, important, or advisory; a single unresolved critical defect is enough for a “Do not proceed.”

Sourcing

We prefer primary and official sources (court dockets, environmental and consumer registries, public property records) and name each source beside the finding with a retrieval date. Where only reputable reporting is available, the finding is marked accordingly and you are pointed to the primary record to confirm yourself.

Limits

These matters move quickly; a dossier reflects the record as of its stated date. Re-verify current status before acting. This is not legal, tax, or investment advice, and it is not a substitute for your own licensed attorney.