How disputes and judges work

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When to open a dispute

If you believe the merchant didn’t deliver as agreed, or there is a serious misunderstanding that can’t be solved in chat, you can escalate the trade into a dispute.

What happens when you open a dispute

The escrowed funds are temporarily frozen while the system notifies the merchant and prepares a case. Both sides can submit additional information and evidence.

How judges are selected

Payperbit selects a small panel of independent judges from a pool of high-reputation users who have opted in to act as judges. Selection is random and aims to minimize conflicts of interest.

What judges see

Judges see the relevant information about the trade: listing details, chat log, submitted evidence and the claims from each side. They do not see unnecessary personal information.

How decisions are made

Judges review the case and vote on what should happen with the escrowed funds (for example: full release to merchant, full refund to buyer, or partial solutions if supported). When a decision threshold is reached, the outcome is executed.

How judges are rewarded

Judges receive a share of the dispute fees when they participate and vote in line with the final outcome. This rewards careful, honest assessments.

What if I disagree with a decision?

In most cases, dispute decisions are final once applied on-chain. You are always free to avoid future trades with merchants or buyers you don’t trust.

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Experimental software. Use at your own risk. Nothing here is tax or legal advice.