---
title: "Define the question and the case owner."
description: "A DecisionCase records the review of one question. Set its tenant, scope, version, and owner, and retain a history of changes."
updated: "30 August 2026"
availability: "CONTRACT REVIEW · TEST_ONLY"
candidate_route: "/docs/polya/guides/open-decision-case"
---

# Define the question and the case owner.

A DecisionCase records the review of one question. Set its tenant, scope, version, and owner, and retain a history of changes.

**CONTRACT REVIEW · TEST_ONLY:** Review-candidate contract and local fixture evidence only · no distributed SDK, operational API, publisher parity, or decision authority

## What a DecisionCase records

- Schema and case ID
- tenantId and exact scope
- version and prior version
- owner and current mutation actor
- createdAt, updatedAt, and current status

> **Exact binding:** Every node and edge must carry the same tenantId, caseId, caseVersion, and owner as the root snapshot.

## Scope is the review boundary, not the conclusion

Scope states the subject, time, organization, policy boundary, and decision question under review. If the boundary changes, create a new version or separate case instead of silently reusing the old one.

1. **State one review question** — Write a question for human review, not an action command.
2. **Record inclusion and exclusion** — Name the subject, period, approved evidence, and explicit exclusions.
3. **Assign accountability** — Keep the case owner separate from the actor recording each mutation.
4. **Define the next-version trigger** — State which evidence, dissent, or assumption change reopens review.

## Stop before persistence when bindings differ

- BINDING_CASE_VERSION_MISMATCH
- REFERENCE_SCOPE_MISMATCH
- UNKNOWN_FIELD
- SCHEMA_VERSION_UNSUPPORTED

> **FAIL CLOSED:** Do not normalize a similar-looking scope or version. The case stays closed until the input satisfies the exact contract.

---

Published route: /docs/polya/guides/open-decision-case