Cops & Congress Terms of Service

Welcome to Cops & Congress, an independent journalism publication covering law enforcement, government, public records, elections, public policy, infrastructure and issues affecting taxpayers, particularly in North Carolina.

By accessing, reading, subscribing to, or interacting with Cops & Congress, you agree to these Terms of Service.

1. Journalism and Editorial Content

Cops & Congress publishes original reporting, analysis, commentary, explainers and other editorial content.

Our reporting may rely on public records, government documents, court records, interviews, official statements, data, observations and other sources. We strive for accuracy, fairness and transparency, but cannot guarantee that every piece of information will always be complete, current or free from error.

When appropriate, corrections or clarifications will be published.

Nothing published by Cops & Congress should be interpreted as legal, financial, medical or other professional advice.

2. Public Records, Arrests and Allegations

Cops & Congress may identify individuals, government officials, businesses and organizations in connection with newsworthy events and public records.

The publication does not intend to imply criminal guilt merely because an individual has been arrested, charged, investigated, sued or otherwise identified in connection with a law enforcement or court proceeding. Criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Readers should distinguish between allegations, charges, court findings, official statements and independently verified facts.

3. Subscriptions

Some Cops & Congress content may be available only to paid subscribers.

Subscription prices, benefits and access may change from time to time. Subscriptions are provided through Substack or another applicable publishing and payment platform, and payment processing is subject to that platform’s applicable terms and policies.

A subscription provides access to subscriber content. It does not provide ownership of Cops & Congress, its intellectual property, its reporting archives or its editorial materials.

4. Free and Paid Content

Cops & Congress may occasionally make previously paywalled or subscriber-only material available to the public.

The publication may also change whether particular stories, archives or features are free or paid at any time.

Making an article free does not transfer copyright or other intellectual-property rights to readers.

5. Artificial Intelligence and Assistive Technology

Cops & Congress may use artificial intelligence tools, transcription services, speech-to-text technology, accessibility tools, grammar and editing software, research tools or other technology to assist with the reporting and publishing process.

The publisher is a mostly deaf journalist and may use assistive technology as part of ordinary newsgathering, communication, transcription, editing and accessibility workflows.

Technology does not replace human editorial review. Every article, newsletter, column, audio script or other substantive piece of content published by Cops & Congress is reviewed by a human before publication.

AI or other automated tools may assist with tasks such as transcription, organization, summarization, drafting, editing or accessibility. Their output may contain errors, and material information is reviewed and verified as appropriate before publication.

Cops & Congress does not represent that every technological tool used in its workflow is perfect or error-free.

Substack and Third-Party Technology

Cops & Congress uses Substack and may use other third-party services to publish, distribute, process, host, analyze or deliver content.

Cops & Congress does not control what Substack or other third-party platforms do or do not do with respect to their own technology, algorithms, accessibility features, moderation systems, recommendations, email delivery, data practices, artificial-intelligence features or other platform functions.

Questions or concerns about a third-party platform’s practices should also be directed to that platform.

6. Copyright

Unless otherwise indicated, original articles, photographs, graphics, audio, video, logos and other materials published by Cops & Congress are protected by applicable copyright laws.

You may share links to Cops & Congress articles and quote limited portions for purposes permitted by law, provided that appropriate attribution is given.

You may not reproduce, republish, sell, redistribute or substantially reproduce Cops & Congress content without permission, except where permitted by applicable law, including applicable fair-use principles.

7. Comments and Reader Contributions

If Cops & Congress permits comments, replies, letters, tips or other reader contributions, users are responsible for the content they submit.

Do not submit material that is unlawful, defamatory, threatening, abusive, fraudulent, knowingly false, invasive of another person’s privacy, or that infringes another person’s intellectual-property rights.

Cops & Congress reserves the right to remove comments or restrict participation when necessary to maintain a constructive and lawful publication environment.

Submission of a comment or other material does not guarantee publication.

8. News Tips and Confidential Information

Readers may email Cops & Congress with news tips or information.

Sending information to the publication does not automatically create a confidential or journalist-source relationship. If confidentiality is important, readers should clearly communicate that request before providing sensitive information.

Cops & Congress will make reasonable efforts to protect confidential sources when it has agreed to do so, subject to applicable law and journalistic considerations.

Do not send passwords, Social Security numbers, financial account information or other highly sensitive personal information through ordinary publication channels.

9. Accuracy and Corrections

Cops & Congress takes accuracy seriously.

If you believe an article contains a factual error, please contact the publication at CopsandCongress@gmail.com with specific information identifying the disputed statement and all supporting documentation.

The publication may correct, clarify, or update an article when warranted. Editorial decisions concerning corrections, updates, headlines and publication remain with Cops & Congress.

10. External Links and Third-Party Services

Cops & Congress may link to government agencies, court systems, news organizations, businesses, social media platforms and other third-party websites.

Cops & Congress does not control or guarantee the accuracy, availability, security, accessibility, or privacy practices of third-party websites or services.

Following an external link or using a third-party service is at the reader’s discretion.

11. No Guarantee of Availability

Cops & Congress makes reasonable efforts to keep the publication available but does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access.

Content, features, publication schedules and subscription benefits may change or be discontinued.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Cops & Congress and its publisher, Annie Dance, are not responsible for losses or damages arising from reliance on information published through the publication or from temporary or permanent inability to access the publication.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to waive rights or protections that cannot legally be waived.

13. Changes to These Terms

Cops & Congress may update these Terms of Service from time to time.

When material changes are made, the updated effective date will be posted with the revised terms. Continued use of the publication after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina, except where applicable law requires otherwise.

15. Contact

Questions about these terms, news tips, or the publication may be directed to:

Cops & Congress by Annie Dance
Email: CopsandCongress@gmail.com

Cops & Congress is independent journalism covering cops, government, Congress, public records, elections, and the issues that affect taxpayers. Views published are covered by the First Amendment and applicable laws.

Effective date: August 16, 2026