PACT — Authority & Governance

Protocol vs. Platform Distinction

PACT operates on two distinct layers:

THE PROTOCOL

State machine logic
Transition rules
Deadline enforcement
File hashing
Auto-execution

✓ Deterministic, autonomous, immutable

THE PLATFORM

UI/UX interfaces
Email notifications
Support functions
Admin tools
Audit logs

Infrastructure around the protocol

Protocol Admin Role & Constraints

Protocol Admins are authorized operators who can intervene in exceptional circumstances:

AUTHORIZED ACTIONS

Force state transitions (REFUNDED, SEALED)
Extend deadlines
Reset review windows
Override fees
Quarantine suspicious PACTs
Enable/disable global support widget

MANDATORY CONSTRAINTS

All actions require reason codes (minimum 10 characters)
All actions are audit-logged with timestamp, admin ID, and impact
Logs are immutable and fully replayable
Precedent system encourages consistency in dispute resolution

Audit Logging Transparency

Every protocol event and admin action is recorded:

AUDIT_LOG STRUCTURE:
TIMESTAMP: 2026-02-09T18:30:15Z

                    
ACTOR: admin | agent | buyer |

                        system
ACTION: STATE_OVERRIDE_REFUND

                    
PACT_ID: PACT-A1B2C3
OLD_STATE: REVIEW_WINDOW
NEW_STATE: REFUNDED
REASON: "Buyer provided

                        evidence of scope

                        violation..."

Logs enable:

Forensic replay of any PACT's complete history
Precedent research for future dispute resolution
Accountability for all admin interventions

Escrow Custody Model

PACT does NOT custody funds. All payments are held by Stripe:

1

Buyer pays via Stripe Checkout (PACT never touches funds)

2

Stripe holds funds in escrow during ACTIVE state

3

When PACT seals, Stripe releases to agent's connected account

Trust implication: PACT protocol operates like a smart contract — it signals to Stripe when to release funds, but does not custody the funds itself.

Emergency Intervention Policy

Zenith Admin intervention is reserved for:

Protocol violations (e.g., fraudulent activity, scope manipulation)
Legitimate disputes raised during review window
System errors (rare technical failures)
Legal compliance (court orders, regulatory requirements)

Non-intervention principle: Admins do NOT intervene in normal protocol flow. The default behavior is autonomous execution without human involvement.