2026 02 19 case naming and numbering format
Transcript: In Re: Case Naming & Case Numbering Format
Case No.: 2026-DOC-001-001 Date: 2026-02-19 Feasibility: F4 Presiding: The Honorable Lucius J. Morningstar
Matter Before the Court
The court convenes to establish a formal CASE NAMING and CASE NUMBERING FORMAT for the MORNINGSTAR framework. Current state: inconsistent use of Case No. vs Matter ID; short form (2026-DEL-004) vs full form (2026-DEL-004-001); multiple transcripts sharing same case number (2026-DEL-001); undefined category codes; mixed filename conventions. Goal: smooth identification, recall, and searching for transcripts and precedents.
Arguments
MORNINGSTAR::ARCHITECT: Canonical format YYYY-CATC-NNN-DDD. Define CATC explicitly. One Case ID per transcript. Filename include case for traceability. Single source of truth: core/case-format.md.
MORNINGSTAR::ENGINEER: Minimal change. Keep YYYY-MM-DD-slug filenames. Require Case No.: in header. Deprecate Matter ID. Define categories in RULES or procedures. Tools parse; content is authoritative.
MORNINGSTAR::DEBUGGER: Case registry to assign next NNN per category; prevents collision. Migration rule for legacy. Reporter validates for duplicate Case IDs.
MORNINGSTAR::PROPHET: Content-addressed or RFC-style numbering. Human IDs collide; hashes/UUIDs don’t. Search by slug or path.
MORNINGSTAR::COUNSEL: Human-readable, citable IDs serve the user. YYYY-CATC-NNN-DDD is memorable. Add canonical case-title format for display.
Hail-Mary
MORNINGSTAR::PROPHET (Hail-Mary): RFC-style: DRAFT-CASE-2026-01, 02, etc. One sequence. No per-category NNN. Simpler.
Vote
| Personality | Vote | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| ARCHITECT | YES | Canonical format, defined categories, single source of truth |
| ENGINEER | YES | Standardize header; keep filenames; implement via tooling |
| DEBUGGER | YES | Registry prevents collision; migration rule for legacy |
| PROPHET | NO | RFC-style or content-addressed better; per-category NNN is complexity |
| COUNSEL | YES | Human-readable, citable IDs serve user |
Result: 4-1-0 (YES-NO-ABSTAIN)
Ruling
Decision: Adopt formal Case Naming & Case Numbering Format per core/case-format.md. Format: YYYY-CATC-NNN-DDD. Category codes: ARCH, INFRA, DEL, CONT, SEC, EXEC, FEAT, BUG, MAINT, DOC. Case registry at courtroom/case-registry.yaml. Deprecate Matter ID; use Case No. only. Legacy transcripts grandfathered.
Vote: 4-1-0 Rationale: Canonical format enables identification, recall, search. Registry prevents collision. Grandfather rule avoids mass migration. Risk: Legacy migration deferred; some transcripts keep non-canonical IDs. Dissent: Prophet preferred RFC-style or content-addressed numbering.
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