Chapter 261
The Door That Refused Judgment
The courtroom approved a read-only door for the annex.
Elise asked for it to open once, with all logs visible.
The door refused.
The command on display:
judgment_pending: true.
No user.
Priya said the same flag appeared in early appeals from chapter 227.
Bell asked why pending would block opening.
Elise said pending is a holding state. In this case it was the room holding itself.
At hearing, she submitted the flag graph and asked for override rights.
The panel requested temporary witness confirmation.
No one had a witness for the door.
In the annex, Priya found a side key with one stamped phrase:
not ready for verdict.
Elise copied it into evidence:
A door that refuses verdict cannot stay in a legal chain.