Trust & transparency
Editorial Policy
This policy explains how The Law Basics selects topics, researches legal information, checks claims, uses technology, cites sources, updates pages, and separates editorial work from commercial relationships.
Published and maintained by The Law Basics Editorial Team · Last updated: July 20, 2026
Key point
Our goal is accurate, understandable, source-based legal education. We do not publish individualized legal advice, guarantee outcomes, or present general information as a substitute for qualified counsel.
Core Editorial Principles
Source Hierarchy
The site is intended for people who may be encountering a legal term, court process, document, fee arrangement, or legal-help option for the first time.
When laws vary by jurisdiction, the page should say so and avoid presenting one state’s rule as a national rule.
Research, Drafting and Review
Editors define the reader’s question, identify the relevant jurisdictional limits, review authoritative sources, draft the page in plain English, check internal links and citations, and review the final wording for legal-safety concerns.
We distinguish between a content review and a review by a licensed attorney. A page will not be labeled “attorney reviewed” unless an identifiable, appropriately licensed attorney actually performed that review and the nature of the review is disclosed.
AI-Assisted Workflows
Technology, including generative AI, may assist with outlining, language simplification, consistency checks, or preliminary research. AI output is not treated as an authority. Material legal claims must be checked against reliable sources before publication.
Editors remain responsible for the final page. AI tools do not create an attorney–client relationship, determine a reader’s legal rights, or replace a lawyer’s analysis of specific facts.
Citations and Links
Where practical, factual legal claims link to the official or authoritative source used. External links are provided for context and verification. A link does not mean that The Law Basics controls, endorses, or guarantees the external website.
Publication Dates and Updates
The visible “last updated” date should change only after a meaningful content review or substantive revision. Minor spelling, formatting, or design edits do not automatically justify a new substantive-update date.
Pages involving changing rules, procedures, fees, eligibility standards, or official programs should be reviewed more frequently than stable glossary definitions.
Corrections
Material factual errors are handled under our Corrections Policy. Readers can report a concern to corrections@thelawbasics.com.
Advertising, Affiliates and Conflicts
Official and Editorial References
These sources informed the policy or standard described on this page.