Terms of Service

The Commonwealth Times is an independent publication, incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in the City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and these terms constitute the covenant between this publication and every reader who enters its pages. They are not the fine print of a transaction, for there is no transaction here — The Commonwealth Times is and shall remain free to read. These terms instead establish the mutual obligations that sustain a newspaper and the public it serves, drafted in the conviction that even a free press operates within a framework of shared responsibility.

By accessing The Commonwealth Times through thecommonwealthtimes.com or any affiliated domain, you acknowledge these terms and agree to abide by them. If you do not accept the terms as stated, you are free to depart — but you are not free to remain while disregarding the principles that govern this institution.

The Nature of This Agreement

A newspaper is a public trust, and the terms under which it operates are not adversarial instruments designed to shield the publisher from the reader. They are, rather, the articulation of a relationship — one in which the publication commits to delivering journalism of integrity and the reader commits to engaging with that journalism in good faith. The Commonwealth Times offers its pages without charge, without restriction, and without surveillance. In return, it asks that its readers respect the work, the institution, and the rights of those who produce it.

These terms are effective as of the date of your first access and remain in effect for the duration of your readership. They apply equally to every reader, in every jurisdiction, without exception or favor.

Intellectual Property and the Curtis License

Every word, image, design element, and line of code that constitutes The Commonwealth Times is the intellectual property of The Commonwealth Times, published and protected under the Curtis License™, version 1.0. The Curtis License is not an open-source license, not a Creative Commons license, and not a permissive grant of any kind. It is a proprietary instrument that reserves to The Commonwealth Times all rights in perpetuity over every artifact produced under its banner.

Readers may share articles through standard linking — directing others to the original URL on thecommonwealthtimes.com — and may quote brief excerpts for purposes of commentary, criticism, or scholarship in accordance with the fair use doctrine as recognized under the copyright laws of the United States. Reproduction, redistribution, syndication, or derivative use of any content beyond what fair use permits requires the express written consent of The Commonwealth Times. No license, implied or otherwise, is granted by the act of reading or sharing a link.

The name "The Commonwealth Times," its masthead, its typographic identity, and all associated marks are trademarks of The Commonwealth Times. They may not be used in any manner that suggests endorsement, affiliation, or sponsorship without prior written authorization.

Reader Conduct

The Commonwealth Times is a public square, and like any public square, it depends upon the conduct of those who enter it. Readers shall not use this publication or its digital infrastructure to engage in any activity that is unlawful, fraudulent, or injurious to the rights of others. Readers shall not attempt to disrupt, overload, or compromise the systems that deliver this newspaper. Readers shall not scrape, harvest, or programmatically extract content from this publication without express written authorization from The Commonwealth Times.

Where The Commonwealth Times provides mechanisms for reader interaction — correspondence, commentary, or membership — those mechanisms are to be used with the same civility one would bring to the letters page of a serious newspaper. The editorial staff reserves the right to decline, remove, or refuse to publish any submission that falls below the standard of discourse this institution demands.

Limitation of Liability

The Commonwealth Times publishes journalism. It does not provide legal counsel, financial advice, medical guidance, or any other form of professional service. The information presented in these pages is the product of editorial judgment exercised in good faith, but no newspaper, however diligent, can guarantee that every fact will endure every future revision of the record. Readers who act upon information published herein do so at their own discretion and assume their own risk.

To the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States of America, The Commonwealth Times, its officers, editors, correspondents, and contributors shall not be held liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from the use of or reliance upon the content of this publication. This limitation applies whether the claim arises in contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or any other legal theory, and whether or not The Commonwealth Times has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Disclaimer of Warranties

The Commonwealth Times is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. The Commonwealth Times makes no warranty, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any content published herein. The publication makes no warranty that its digital systems will operate without interruption or error. All implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement, are disclaimed to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. The Commonwealth Times aspires to the highest standards of accuracy and availability, but aspiration is not warranty, and no reader should mistake one for the other.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflict of laws provisions. Any dispute arising under or in connection with these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. By accessing The Commonwealth Times, you consent to personal jurisdiction in these courts and waive any objection to the laying of venue therein.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been the seat of the American free press since before the Republic itself existed. It is fitting that the legal framework governing this publication should rest within the same Commonwealth that sheltered the first printers who dared to publish without royal license.

Dispute Resolution

Before initiating any formal legal proceeding, any party with a grievance against The Commonwealth Times shall first attempt resolution through direct written correspondence addressed to the Office of General Counsel at The Commonwealth Times. The parties shall negotiate in good faith for a period of no less than thirty days. If the dispute is not resolved through negotiation, either party may pursue resolution through binding arbitration administered under the rules of the American Arbitration Association, conducted in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, or through litigation in the courts specified above. The prevailing party in any such proceeding shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and costs.

Modification of Terms

The Commonwealth Times reserves the right to modify these terms at any time. When modifications are made, the revised terms will be published on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of The Commonwealth Times following any such modification constitutes acceptance of the revised terms. The publication will not provide individual notice of changes — a newspaper speaks through its pages, and the terms under which it operates are published in the same manner as every other word it prints.

Material changes — those that alter the fundamental character of the relationship between publication and reader — will be accompanied by editorial notice on the homepage for a period of no less than fourteen days. The Commonwealth Times does not alter its terms lightly, and the reader should not expect frequent revision of a document designed to endure.

Termination

The Commonwealth Times is a free publication, and readership is not a contractual entitlement that requires formal termination. You may cease reading at any time, for any reason, without notice. The Commonwealth Times may, at its sole discretion, restrict or terminate access for any reader who violates these terms, engages in conduct detrimental to the publication or its infrastructure, or whose continued access would, in the judgment of the editorial staff, be inconsistent with the institution's mission and values.

Upon termination of access, the intellectual property provisions, the limitation of liability, and the governing law provisions of these terms shall survive and continue in full force and effect.

Severability and Entire Agreement

If any provision of these terms is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect, unimpaired by the invalidity of the severed clause. These terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any supplementary terms published by The Commonwealth Times, constitute the entire agreement between The Commonwealth Times and the reader concerning the use of this publication.

No waiver of any term or condition shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or any other term, and the failure of The Commonwealth Times to assert any right or provision under these terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.