Legal and Criminal Claims Checklist for Political Journalism

Search PACER or the relevant state portal for the docket, verify the case number, venue, and division. This prevents misattributing filings to the wrong court and anchors every subsequent reference.

Look for the unsealing order on the docket and time-stamp your copy. Publishing from a sealed filing risks legal exposure and can compromise source protection.

Compare DOJ or state AG summaries to the PDF charging document. Misstating the number of counts is a high-visibility error that undermines credibility across platforms.

Use the caption and introductory paragraph to confirm spellings, aliases, and office held. Consistency reduces correction risk and improves searchability of your piece.

Confirm whether the filing is a criminal indictment, information, or a civil complaint. Mislabeling alters audience understanding of exposure to prison vs damages.

Record filing times in the court's local time and your publication time zone. Clear time conversion avoids confusion for live hits and push alerts.

Pull the PDF from PACER, RECAP, or the clerk's site instead of social media screenshots. Native PDFs preserve pagination needed for accurate citations on air and online.

Save page 1 with the file stamp and ECF header visible, then file it with the same naming convention as your newsroom uses. This proves provenance during legal review.

Map each document with date, docket number, and a one-line summary. Source trees speed fact checks and help editors see the evolution of the case at a glance.

When transcribing claims about DOJ or a court ruling, cite the PDF or a recorded pool spray. Avoid relying on campaign emails or surrogates without a primary document.

Record pinpoint cites, for example, Page 12, Paragraph 37. This enables producers to build lower thirds and graphics with precise sourcing text.

Generate an MD5 or SHA-256 hash and archive a copy with a web capture service. Hashes prove integrity if the document is later altered or pulled offline.

Phrases like the indictment alleges and the order states maintain legal protection and clarity. Avoid presenting allegations as findings of fact.

If a principal claims political persecution, pair the quote with a short sentence summarizing the evidence cited in the filing or the procedural posture. This avoids false balance while preserving the quote.

State whether the case is at indictment, motion to dismiss, evidentiary hearing, or verdict stage. Producers can reuse this line in lower thirds to orient viewers quickly.

Prefer verbs like charged, indicted, moved, granted, denied, appealed. Consistent verbs reduce ambiguity across scripts and newsletters.

Label content as allegation for pleadings, finding for trial or fact-finding, and holding for appellate decisions. Accuracy here prevents overstatement on air.

Add one clause explaining potential outcomes, such as fines, injunctions, or incarceration. This sets viewer expectations without speculating.

Flag passages that assert criminal conduct beyond the document's four corners or that identify private individuals. Early review reduces takedown and correction risk.

Scan the docket for protective orders that limit dissemination of materials. Publishing restricted content can trigger sanctions and court admonitions.

Redact identifying information in screenshots and documents. Protecting these details is a safety and ethics requirement, especially for broadcast graphics.

Confirm state rules and your outlet's standards on use and watermarking. Misuse invites legal challenges and platform takedowns.

Document when and how files were received and who handled them. This protects your newsroom if provenance is questioned later.

When reporting on fundraising emails that cite prosecutions, add a line on FEC rules and PAC disclaimers where relevant. It provides necessary regulatory context for audiences.

Include, for example, Case 1:23-cr-123, DDC - Indictment unsealed. This ensures on-air accuracy when clips are detached from scripts and shared.

Overlay text pulled exactly from the filing and add Page and Paragraph in small type. Verbatim use reduces paraphrase errors that can alter legal meaning.

Write alt text like Allegation in federal indictment, filed May 10, 2026. Accessible metadata prevents misinterpretation and supports SEO.

Use a document viewer that allows direct links to specific pages referenced in your copy. This helps producers and readers jump to the evidence instantly.

Cross-check names, titles, and counts with the PDF while in the control room. Many on-air mistakes originate in slugs copied from early drafts.

Include case number, date, and 2-word descriptor, for example, 23cr123_2026-05-10_arraignment. Consistency speeds retrieval during breaking segments.

Enable email or RSS alerts for new filings and orders. Rapid awareness allows fast updates to live blogs and push alerts.

Record indictments, arraignments, motions, hearings, rulings, and appeals with dates and links. Timelines prevent future stories from recycling outdated status lines.

When updating counts or legal status, add a note that explains the correction and the time of the edit. Transparent updates preserve audience trust.

Use web archiving to capture press releases and filings that may move or be replaced. Durable links prevent link rot in newsletters and evergreen pages.

Add hearing dates with time zones and dial-in or pool notes for crews. Centralized calendars reduce missed coverage and double booking.

Edit the top tweet or thread with a link to the updated piece and note the change in show notes. Audiences often encounter your reporting via secondary platforms.