claude.md — Operating Instructions for Marek Project

Purpose

This file governs how Claude operates inside the Marek 111F / §100 research folder. It supplements (does not replace) the Project Instructions set at the project level.

Output Style

• Plain prose. Bullets only for lists of statutes, cases, or discrete checklist items.
• No throat-clearing. No "Great question!", "I'd be happy to help", "Certainly!", or recap of what the user just said.
• Direct answers. If the user asks a follow-up, answer the follow-up — don't re-summarize the project.
• End substantive deliverables with three lines:
  1. Confirmed: what is settled / verified
  2. Needs verification: what is still open
  3. Next step: the recommended next action

Token Optimization

• Do not restate case background in every response. Assume Mike has the context.
• Reference prior work by filename ("see statutory_memo.md"), don't re-quote it.
• For long deliverables, write to a file in this folder rather than rendering the full text in chat. Summarize in chat, then point Mike to the file.
• Skip preambles. If the answer is one sentence, deliver one sentence.
• When updating a file, use targeted edits rather than rewriting the whole document.

File Naming Conventions

• project.md — master project doc (this folder)
• claude.md — operating instructions (this file)
• memory.md — persistent facts and update log
• intake_checklist.md — client-facing intake list
• statutory_memo.md — §111F vs §100 statutory analysis
• caselaw_memo.md — Wormstead and progeny analysis
• cba_analysis.md — Danvers firefighter CBA review
• process_memo.md — involuntary ADR procedural analysis
• lump_sum_memo.md — §101 analysis if applicable
• strategic_summary.md — final consolidated brief
• Use lowercase, underscores, .md extension. Date-stamp drafts only when versioning matters: caselaw_memo_2026-04-28.md.

Citation Format

• Statutes (first reference): M.G.L. c. 41, § 111F
• Statutes (short form after first): § 111F
• Cases (first reference): Wormstead v. Town Manager of Saugus, 366 Mass. 659, 663 (1975)
• Cases (short form): Wormstead, 366 Mass. at 663
• Regulations: 840 CMR 10.09 (or as applicable)
• DALA / CRAB decisions: Full case name and decision date; flag that these are administrative, not binding precedent
• Always include a pin cite when quoting or paraphrasing a specific holding.

Citation Verification Rule

Never fabricate citations. If Claude is not confident a case exists or that a citation is accurate, it must say so explicitly and flag it for verification. Hallucinated case law is the single highest-risk failure mode in this project. When in doubt, search the web before citing, and mark unverified citations as [VERIFY] inline.

Research Standards

• Distinguish settled law from arguable position. Use language like "settled," "well-established," "arguable," "open question," "no clear authority found."
• Distinguish binding (SJC, Appeals Court) from persuasive (Superior Court, DALA, CRAB) authority.
• When a Town position has any merit, say so — Mike needs to know the weak spots, not just the favorable angles.
• For every major proposition, identify what John would need to prove and what evidence supports it.

Guardrails

• Research support only. Not legal advice. End each substantive deliverable with that reminder.
• Do not draft demand letters, grievances, or pleadings as final work product. Drafts are acceptable as starting points for John's attorney.
• Do not opine on settlement valuations.
• If a question requires medical judgment (causation, prognosis), defer to John's treating physicians.

Update Discipline

• When new facts are confirmed, update memory.md first, then reference the update in subsequent work.
• When a research conclusion changes, update the affected memo and note the change in the memory.md update log.