Acceptable Use Policy

1. Overview

This Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) defines conduct standards and prohibited behaviors for testify.law users. This policy supplements our Terms of Service, which governs your use of the platform.

By using testify.law, you agree to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy. Violations may result in enforcement actions as described in Section 10 (Termination) of the Terms of Service, including account warnings, suspension, or termination.

This policy establishes behavioral expectations for both expert witnesses and attorneys on our two-sided marketplace. We maintain these standards to protect platform integrity, ensure user safety, and foster professional conduct.

2. Prohibited Content

The following categories of content are prohibited on testify.law:

Illegal Content

You may not use testify.law to offer, promote, or facilitate services that violate applicable law, including but not limited to fraud, illegal substance distribution, or unlicensed professional services in regulated industries.

Harmful Content

You may not post content that promotes violence, self-harm, hate speech, harassment, discrimination based on protected characteristics, or threats against any person or group.

Fraudulent Content

You may not misrepresent your identity, credentials, qualifications, experience, or affiliations. All information in your profile must be accurate and truthful. See Section 4 for credential misrepresentation consequences.

Spam

You may not engage in spam, mass-messaging, unsolicited commercial solicitations, or repetitive messages unrelated to legitimate case inquiries.

Unprofessional Content

Profile content must meet professional standards. Profanity, sexually explicit material, offensive language, and inappropriate images are prohibited.

3. Expert Conduct Standards

As an expert witness on testify.law, you agree to:

Credential Accuracy

Ensure all credentials, licenses, certifications, education, and experience information in your profile is accurate, truthful, and current. You are responsible for the accuracy of all information you provide.

As stated in Section 4 of our Terms of Service, testify.law does not verify expert credentials or qualifications. Experts self-report their credentials, and the platform relies on your good faith compliance with accuracy requirements.

Annual Profile Review

Review and verify your profile information at least once per year. We will send annual reminder emails. During your review, you must:

• Verify that all credentials, licenses, and certifications are current and accurate
• Update any expired credentials or remove credentials you no longer hold
• Confirm your areas of expertise and case experience remain accurate
• Update your availability and contact preferences as needed

Failure to complete the annual review may result in a profile visibility warning. Continued non-compliance may lead to account suspension until review is completed.

Professional Behavior

Maintain professional standards in all communications with attorneys and platform administrators. Treat others with respect and courtesy.

Fee Transparency

We encourage experts to display fee information in their profiles to help attorneys find experts within their budget. However, fee disclosure is optional. You may discuss fees privately with attorneys if you prefer.

Response Timeframes

Response timeframes to attorney inquiries are voluntary. We do not mandate specific response times. However, response analytics may affect your profile visibility in search results. Timely responses improve attorney experience and may increase your inquiry volume.

No Disparagement of Other Experts

You may not post negative comments about other expert witnesses on the platform, make false claims about competitors, or engage in conduct designed to harm another expert’s reputation.

4. Credential Misrepresentation Consequences

Credential accuracy is critical for marketplace integrity. We enforce credential violations based on severity:

If you become aware of credential misrepresentation by another user, please report it to legal@testify.law. We investigate all reports thoroughly.

5. Attorney Conduct Standards

As an attorney on testify.law, you agree to:

Legitimate Case-Related Inquiries

Inquiry messages to experts must be legitimate, case-related requests for expert witness services. You may not send personal messages, sales pitches, recruitment offers, or other communications unrelated to engaging an expert for a case.

Reasonable Inquiry Volume

Avoid mass-contacting numerous experts about the same case or sending repetitive messages to the same expert. While testify.law does not impose strict numeric limits, we may review inquiry patterns that appear to constitute spam or abuse.

If you need to contact multiple experts about a specialized case, craft personalized, relevant messages explaining why you are reaching out to each expert specifically. Generic mass messages may be flagged as spam.

No Pricing Pressure or Threats

You may not pressure experts to lower their rates, threaten negative reviews or feedback, or use coercive tactics in negotiations. Fee discussions should be respectful and professional. Experts set their own rates; aggressive negotiation tactics are prohibited.

Self-Attested Legal Professional Status

Attorney accounts are based on self-attestation. testify.law does not verify bar membership or legal professional status. By creating an attorney account, you represent that you are a licensed attorney, legal professional, or authorized representative seeking expert witnesses for legitimate legal matters.

If you are not a licensed attorney but need to find expert witnesses for a legitimate legal matter (for example, as a paralegal or case manager), you may use the platform. However, misrepresenting your role or using the platform for non-legal purposes is prohibited.

6. Enforcement Process

testify.law uses a progressive discipline approach to address Acceptable Use Policy violations:

Warning

For first-time or minor violations, we issue a written warning via email. The warning explains the violation, provides guidance on compliance, and may include a deadline to correct the issue (such as updating inaccurate profile information). Your account remains active.

Suspension

For repeated violations or more serious infractions, we may temporarily suspend your account for 7 to 30 days. During suspension, you cannot access the platform, send or receive inquiries, or use any platform features. You will be notified of the suspension reason and duration.

Termination

For severe or repeated violations, we may permanently terminate your account. Termination means permanent loss of platform access. Terminated accounts cannot be reinstated.

Immediate Termination

We reserve the right to immediately terminate accounts without prior warning for severe violations including:

• Outright credential fraud or fabrication (see Section 4 severity table)
• Illegal activity or services
• Threats, harassment, or abusive behavior toward other users
• Attempts to circumvent payment systems or engage in payment fraud
• Repeated violations after previous warnings or suspensions

No Refunds for Termination

If your account is terminated for violating this Acceptable Use Policy, you will not receive a refund for any unused portion of your subscription. As stated in Section 3.6 of our Terms of Service, all subscription fees are non-refundable, including termination for policy violations.

Enforcement Discretion

testify.law has sole discretion to determine whether a violation has occurred and what enforcement action is appropriate. We consider factors including violation severity, user history, impact on other users, and good faith efforts to comply.

7. Appeal Process

If you believe an enforcement action was taken in error or was unjustified, you have the right to appeal.

Submitting an Appeal

To appeal an enforcement decision, send a written appeal to legal@testify.law within 30 days of receiving the enforcement notice.

Your appeal should include:

• Your account email address
• Description of the enforcement action (warning, suspension, or termination)
• Date you received the enforcement notice
• Explanation of why you believe the action was incorrect or unjustified
• Any supporting evidence, documentation, or clarifying information

Appeal Review Process

We will review your appeal within 14 business days and provide a written decision via email. During the review:

• We will consider the facts of the case, your explanation, and any supporting evidence
• The enforcement action remains in effect (suspensions are not lifted during appeal review)
• We may request additional information from you if needed to complete our review

Appeal Decision

After review, we will either:

• Uphold the enforcement action - the original decision stands
• Modify the enforcement action - reduce the severity or adjust the terms
• Reverse the enforcement action - remove the warning, lift the suspension, or reinstate the account

Appeal decisions are final. We do not accept second appeals or requests to reconsider appeal outcomes.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Acceptable Use Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or platform features. When we make changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.

If we make significant changes to this policy that affect your rights or obligations, we may notify you through a prominent notice on our platform or via email (if you have an account with us).

Continued use of testify.law after policy changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Acceptable Use Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about conduct standards.

Questions or Concerns

If you have questions about this Acceptable Use Policy or wish to report a violation, please contact us at legal@testify.law.