> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://novacont.gitbook.io/nova-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://novacont.gitbook.io/nova-docs/decentralized-jury-system/overview.md). # Overview NovaCont is built on the principle that disputes should not be resolved by a single centralized authority. The long-term vision of the protocol is a fully decentralized arbitration layer. One where independent, economically incentivized participants evaluate evidence and deliver verdicts without any single point of control. That system is NovaJury.
### What Is NovaJury? NovaJury is the dispute resolution layer of the NovaCont protocol. When two parties cannot reach agreement after a delivery (and a dispute is formally opened) NovaJury is responsible for evaluating the case and delivering a binding verdict that the smart contract executes automatically. Jurors are not employees, moderators, or appointed officials. They are independent participants who have staked their own funds as a guarantee of honest behavior. They review the evidence submitted by both parties, cast a vote, and are rewarded or penalized based on whether they participated correctly and honestly. The entire process (from case creation to verdict execution) is governed by smart contract logic. No human at NovaCont can override a jury verdict once it has been finalized. ### Why a Jury System? Traditional dispute resolution in digital platforms suffers from the same fundamental problem: one party always has more power than the other. Platform administrators can be biased, bribed, slow, or simply wrong. Their decisions are opaque and often unappealable. NovaJury replaces this model with a system where: * **No single entity decides outcomes**: verdicts require a majority among randomly assigned independent jurors * **Economic incentives enforce honesty:** jurors stake real funds and are penalized for dishonest or negligent behavior * **Verdicts are executed automatically**: once a majority verdict is reached, the smart contract distributes funds without requiring any manual intervention * **The process is transparent**: all case data, votes, and outcomes are recorded on-chain and publicly verifiable ### Current Status - Administered Mode NovaJury is designed as a decentralized system, but decentralization requires a sufficiently large and distributed pool of active jurors to function fairly. Launching a jury system without enough participants would create outcomes that are worse than centralized administration. A small juror pool is vulnerable to collusion, bias, and conflicts of interest. For this reason, **NovaJury is currently operating in administered mode.** In this mode, disputes are reviewed and resolved by a designated administrator rather than by randomly assigned jurors. The resolution process follows the same principles of fairness and evidence-based decision making that the jury system is designed to enforce but the final decision rests with a single trusted party rather than a decentralized panel. **What this means in practice:** * When you open a dispute, your case will be reviewed by a human administrator * Both parties are expected to submit clear evidence supporting their position * Resolutions are issued based on the contract terms, the submitted evidence, and the principle of good faith * The administrator's decision is final and is executed on-chain **What this does not mean:** * It does not mean NovaCont is biased toward either party * It does not mean resolutions are arbitrary or unaccountable * It does not mean this model is permanent ### The Path to Full Decentralization Administered mode is a transitional state. As the NovaCont user base grows and a sufficient juror pool is established, the protocol will activate NovaJury's decentralized mode. At that point, disputes will be routed automatically to randomly selected jurors and the administrator will no longer play any role in individual case outcomes. The transition will be announced publicly and documented in full before it takes effect. Users will be informed of any changes to the dispute resolution process in advance.