{"schema":"merit.mandate/v1","note":"AP2-style signed authorization as a PRECONDITION of the verify gate: a payment CLEARS to settle IFF the mandate is valid AND the citation verifies — human-authorized -> verified -> cleared. Merit clears; it does not move USDC itself.","mandate":{"type":"citation-payment","authorizer":"0x… (the signer's address)","maxAmount":"USDC this mandate authorizes across settlements","scope":"citation","expiresAt":"epoch ms","nonce":"unique string"},"sign":"personal_sign / EIP-191 over JSON.stringify({type, authorizer(checksummed), maxAmount, scope, expiresAt, nonce}) — same field order","then":"POST { claim, source, mandate, signature, amount? }"}