Whichever ledger you choose changes who owns the property

The options

The order shown is not a ranking of preference.

1. Option 1

   Restore based on the oldest copy

   Gains a consistent starting point but can invalidate legitimate later transactions.

2. Option 2

   Reconcile current possession with local records

   Preserves continuity of life but can fix past harm.

3. Option 3

   Separate the temporary payment network from the dispute ledger

   Resumes exchange first but prolongs the final judgment on rights.

The situation as it stands

Cities reconnected after a long network disconnection hold different copies of the same ledger. Decision deadline: 8 months until the joint market reopens.

A fictional alliance of reconnected cities

1. Premise 1Cities reconnected after a long network disconnection hold different copies of the same ledger.
2. Premise 2The original certification body is gone, and each copy has been used locally for decades.
3. Premise 3Which copy is chosen determines who owns the debts and property.

Where it holdsSets the common record used for transactions within the alliance. Has no authority to unify every city's historical interpretation.

What is still unknown

1. Unknown 1Whether the copy differences are deliberate tampering or a different lawful procedure
2. Unknown 2The length of time a disputing party's livelihood can wait for a settlement

Signals to decide again

• Define what observation, who is responsible, and what confirmation window can check whether "the copy differences are deliberate tampering or a different lawful procedure," and re-judge if new confirmation changes the tradeoff between the options.
• Define what observation, who is responsible, and what confirmation window can check the "length of time a disputing party's livelihood can wait for a settlement," and re-judge if new confirmation changes the tradeoff between the options.