Disclaimer

Informational only

Everything on this site is published for general information. It describes what a domain name expert witness does, what records domain systems produce, how those records are preserved and authenticated, and what published policies, rules and statutes say about the proceedings in which they are used.

It is not legal advice. It does not address the facts of any particular matter, does not characterize any reader's legal position, does not say what anyone should or should not file, and does not recommend a forum, a strategy or a course of action. Where a page describes a rule or a deadline, it is describing what the instrument says — not advising anyone about how to comply with it. Every reader with a live matter needs qualified counsel, and every page that touches procedure says so.

No relationship is created

Nothing on this site creates an expert-client relationship or an attorney-client relationship. That is true of reading a page, following a link, downloading anything, or sending an email to the published address.

An engagement begins only when it has been agreed directly, following a conflict check and an agreed written scope. Until then, material sent to me is not confidential and should not be treated as though it were. Do not send privileged or sensitive material about a live matter without counsel's involvement.

I am not an attorney and nothing on this site is offered as the practice of law.

No outcome is claimed or implied

Nothing on this site claims, predicts or implies a result. No page describes how any court, panel or examiner has ruled or would rule, and no page suggests that retaining an expert — me or anyone else — affects the outcome of a dispute.

Named decisions, cases, courts, dockets, parties, panels and law firms do not appear anywhere on this site, including matters that are of public record. Neither do counts of engagements, reports or testimony. Where authority is needed for what a policy or a statute means, the instrument itself is cited.

Jurisdiction and currency

Material describing United States federal law — the federal anti-cybersquatting statute, in rem jurisdiction over a domain name, the Federal Rules of Evidence and the statutory framework governing provider disclosure — is US-specific and is flagged as such where it appears. It has no application to a dispute governed by another country's law, and US state courts apply their own rules. Country-code top-level domains sit outside ICANN consensus policy entirely.

Policy in this field changes, and effective dates matter. Registration data policy, transfer policy, dispute-resolution rules and certificate requirements have all changed within recent memory. Pages here state the version and effective date of an instrument where they rely on it, but the material may be out of date when you read it. Verify against the primary source before relying on any detail.

Third-party material

Links to statutes, standards, policies and rules point to sites controlled by the organizations that publish them. Their content, availability and accuracy are outside my control, and a link is not an endorsement.

Descriptions here of what a third-party service or database does — archives, sensor networks, certificate logs, commercial data providers — reflect what those providers themselves publish about their own coverage and limitations. Those services change their practices without notice, and their documented limitations are part of why every page on this site carries a section on what the evidence cannot establish.

For current credentials and engagement information, see hartzer.com, which is the actively maintained record.