> run ./rules
Forum Rules
State Created works because people bring documents and good faith. These rules keep it that way. They apply to everyone, including the site's founders. Read them alongside ./disclaimer and ./terms.
Legal note & crisis resources
This site does not provide legal advice, and nothing here should be treated as a substitute for consulting a licensed attorney. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. If you need to talk to someone, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text, 24/7.
The one rule that doesn't bend
Claims about how a system works should be traceable to something someone else can verify: a public record, a document, a filing, or a dated firsthand account. Opinion and interpretation are welcome. Label them as opinion, and keep them separate from what the record actually says.
How we participate
- Ground your claims. Point to the record, or say plainly that you are describing your own experience or view.
- Separate fact from interpretation. State what a document says, then say what you think it means.
- Focus on public conduct. Discuss the official actions of officials and institutions, not the private lives of private individuals.
- Disagree in good faith. People here disagree, and that is the point. Argue the substance, not the person.
- Stay anonymous if you want. A pseudonym is fine. You never have to reveal who you are.
Lines we do not cross
- No harassment, threats, targeted intimidation, or stalking of any person.
- No posting private identifying information (home addresses, phone numbers, government identification, or case numbers tied to private individuals), including your own.
- No knowingly false statements of fact about an identifiable person.
- No content that sexually exploits minors, and nothing else unlawful under applicable law.
- No spam, solicitation, or malware.
- Do not discuss the details of an open or active case.
Off-topic and duplicate posts
Posts that don't fit an existing tag, or that duplicate an open discussion, may be moved, merged, or closed by moderators rather than removed outright. If your post gets moved, check the tag it landed in — that's usually a better fit, not a rejection.
Self-promotion and advertising
Sharing your own related project, writing, or resource is fine when it's relevant to the discussion. Repeated posting of the same link across unrelated threads, or promotion with no discussion attached, will be treated as spam.
Moderation
Moderators may remove content or suspend accounts that break these rules. Removal is an editorial decision, not a statement about the legality of a post. If you think something here is inaccurate or should be removed, you can send a good-faith request through your account. The full legal terms are in ./terms.
Enforcement
Most rule-breaking gets a warning and a chance to fix it first. Repeated or severe violations — harassment, doxxing, threats, illegal content — can result in an immediate suspension or ban without a warning, at a moderator's discretion.
Appeals
If your content is removed or your account is limited and you think it was a mistake, message a moderator through your account with what happened and why you think it should be reconsidered. Decisions on appeals are final.
