Our goal: Make public legal and government information searchable, understandable and accountable. The Record Room is part of Truth in Focus, not a separate newspaper or a replacement for official sources. Work is organized in phases so readers can see what exists and what remains to be done.
Phase 1 — Navigation and learning (2026)
Published / initial implementation
Build a searchable WordPress archive, create an FAQ, link primary legal sources, and publish easy-to-read constitutional and code introductions. Current search finds published WordPress content; unindexed documents are not guaranteed searchable.
The Constitution & Annotated Code Reader is an expandable learning index, not yet a fully annotated legal code. Public articles and videos already have their own pages.
Still to improve
Place clear links to FAQ, Articles, the Code Reader, Proposed Bills, Site Updates and this Roadmap in the main navigation and homepage.
Add glossary definitions, consistent document numbers and dates, and reader examples. Test accessibility and phone usability.
Phase 2 — Educational article library
First group of accessible articles
Publish roughly 20 short lessons in manageable batches, each with: What this means; Why it matters; What the original law or document actually says; Original-source links; What remains uncertain; Last-reviewed date.
Our first 20 plain-language educational articles are proposed below. Each is planned, not yet published, and will require direct source checks.
- What Is a Constitution, and Why Does It Matter?
- How the Northern Cheyenne Constitution Is Organized
- Who Serves on the Tribal Council? Understanding Article III
- Article IV: Council Powers and Limits
- Public Spending: What Does the Constitution Say About Records?
- Article V: Rights and Responsibilities
- Article VI: How Tribal Elections Are Governed
- Article VII: Removal, Vacancies and a Fair Hearing
- What Is a Tribal Resolution?
- Council Meetings, Agendas and Minutes: What to Look For
- Constitutional Amendment Versus Ordinary Resolution
- Where to Find Northern Cheyenne Ordinances and Codes
- How Tribal Courts and Appeals Work
- How to Read the Law and Order Code: Titles and Sections
- What Is the Federal Trust Responsibility?
- Tribal, Montana and Federal Law: How They Differ
- How a Montana Bill Becomes Law
- Finding a Current Montana Code Section and Effective Date
- Following a Government Grant or Contract
- Checking a Public Claim Against Original Records
An AI assistant may help draft text, but every factual and legal statement needs editorial source review before it is called verified.
Phase 3 — Annotated law and code
Annotation pilot: verify before scaling
Begin with selected Northern Cheyenne Constitution articles and Code sections, and selected Montana provisions relevant to education, elections, government spending, public records and civil rights.
Record a citation, version, effective date, full official source, plain-language explanation, known amendments, verified case references, unresolved issues and reviewer.
Use DeepSeek, Gemini or ChatGPT only as draft assistants. Legal text, case citations and effective dates must be checked against authoritative documents. No bulk AI output should be published as official law.
Long-term code collection
Expand title by title once pilot entries are accurate and reviewable. Where official Montana annotations are subject to license or copyright restrictions, link to authorized sources and write original commentary rather than copying protected editorial annotations.
Continue to show the difference between the 2025 MCA edition, August 2026 update, session laws, and any later verified amendments.
Phase 4 — Public records and search improvements
Search and document index
Add searchable metadata fields for issuing body, record number, subject, date, status, source URL and corrected version. Consider attachment text indexing only after ensuring scanned documents are safe for publication.
Cross-link articles, source documents, FAQs and related records, with filters for government, geography, date and document type.
Transparency and record integrity
Keep disputed DOI, council, hearing and other sensitive records withheld from the public collection until individually reviewed.
Maintain a dated change log, source credits, corrections policy and reader submissions with editorial review. Preserve originals, and label any redactions.
How we will judge progress
- Readers can find the original document behind an explanation without guessing.
- Every legal explainer shows what was verified and when.
- Search works for common questions like “Constitution,” “Title VII,” and “Article IV.”
- New pages work on phones and with keyboard/screen-reader navigation.
- The site clearly marks drafts, verified documents, disputed claims and pending review.
Visit What’s New for completed changes, Articles for learning pieces, and FAQ for help.
By Steven Bullcoming Haworth · Collaborator: Corry Bullcoming · © 2026 Steven Bullcoming Haworth & Corry Bullcoming. All rights reserved.