---
title: Dispute
tags: [data-model, mongoose]
aliases: [Complaint, IDispute]
---

# Dispute

> **Last updated:** 2026-05-29 — aligned with code (see [Doc vs Code Audit Report](../09%20-%20Audits/Doc%20vs%20Code%20Audit%20Report%20-%202026-05-29.md))

Buyer-raised complaint tied to a [[PurchaseRequest]]. Captures the reason, priority, category, an array of evidence uploads, a chronological `timeline` of actions, an optional resolution, and SLA deadlines. An admin (`adminId`) is assigned during triage and resolves the dispute with a structured action (`refund`, `replacement`, `compensation`, `warning_seller`, `ban_seller`, or `no_action`).

> [!note] Implementation status
> `backend/src/models/Dispute.ts`, `backend/src/services/dispute/DisputeService.ts`, `backend/src/routes/disputeRoutes.ts`, and release-hold helper routes now exist. The remaining gap is canonical state alignment between the full dispute document and the lighter `PurchaseRequest`/`Payment` hold flags used by release gating.
>
> Source: `backend/src/models/Dispute.ts` — schema definition and model export.

> ⚠️ **SECURITY** — The dispute `status` update endpoint and the `resolve` endpoint currently have **no role guards**. Any authenticated user (not just admins) can modify dispute status or submit a resolution. This is a known gap pending a role-guard audit.

## Schema

| Field | Type | Required | Default | Validation | Index | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `purchaseRequestId` | ObjectId → [[PurchaseRequest]] | yes | — | — | yes | The disputed request. |
| `buyerId` | ObjectId → [[User]] | yes | — | — | yes | Complaining buyer. |
| `sellerId` | ObjectId → [[User]] | no | — | — | yes | Implicated seller. |
| `adminId` | ObjectId → [[User]] | no | — | — | yes (single + compound) | Admin owning the case. |
| `reason` | String | yes | — | trim, maxlength 200 | — | Short reason. |
| `description` | String | yes | — | trim, maxlength 2000 | — | Detailed description. |
| `priority` | String | no | `medium` | enum: `low` / `medium` / `high` / `urgent` | yes | Triage priority. |
| `category` | String | yes | — | enum: `product_quality` / `delivery_delay` / `wrong_item` / `payment_issue` / `seller_behavior` / `other` | yes | Issue type. |
| `status` | String | no | `pending` | enum: `pending` / `in_progress` / `waiting_response` / `resolved` / `rejected` / `closed` | yes (single + compound) | Lifecycle state. |
| `evidence[].type` | String | yes | — | enum: `image` / `document` / `screenshot` / `video` | — | Evidence kind. |
| `evidence[].url` | String | yes | — | — | — | Stored URL. |
| `evidence[].description` | String | no | — | — | — | Notes. |
| `evidence[].uploadedBy` | ObjectId → [[User]] | yes | — | — | — | Uploader. |
| `evidence[].uploadedAt` | Date | no | `Date.now` | — | — | Upload time. |
| `chatId` | ObjectId → [[Chat]] | no | — | — | — | Linked support chat. |
| `timeline[].action` | String | yes | — | — | — | Action label. |
| `timeline[].performedBy` | ObjectId → [[User]] | yes | — | — | — | Actor. |
| `timeline[].performedAt` | Date | no | `Date.now` | — | — | When. |
| `timeline[].details` | String | no | — | — | — | Free-form notes. |
| `resolution.action` | String | no | — | enum: `refund` / `replacement` / `compensation` / `warning_seller` / `ban_seller` / `no_action` | — | Outcome. |
| `resolution.amount` | Number | no | — | — | — | Monetary amount (refund/compensation). |
| `resolution.currency` | String | no | — | enum: `USD` / `EUR` / `IRR` / `USDT` | — | Currency. |
| `resolution.notes` | String | no | — | maxlength 1000 | — | Resolution notes. |
| `resolution.resolvedBy` | ObjectId → [[User]] | no | — | — | — | Admin who resolved. |
| `resolution.resolvedAt` | Date | no | — | — | — | When resolved. |
| `deadline` | Date | no | — | — | — | Overall SLA deadline. |
| `responseDeadline` | Date | no | — | — | — | Response SLA. |
| `tags[]` | String[] | no | — | trim | — | Filter tags. |
| `closedAt` | Date | no | — | — | — | When closed. |
| `createdAt` | Date | auto | — | — | yes (desc) | Mongoose timestamp. |
| `updatedAt` | Date | auto | — | — | — | Mongoose timestamp. |

### Category enum

Valid values: `product_quality` · `delivery_delay` · `wrong_item` · `payment_issue` · `seller_behavior` · `other`

**Note:** `fraud` is **not** a valid category value. Use `seller_behavior` or `other` for fraud-related complaints.

### Status enum

Valid values: `pending` · `in_progress` · `waiting_response` · `resolved` · `rejected` · `closed`

**Note:** `under_review` does **not** exist in the schema. The equivalent lifecycle state is `in_progress`.

### Resolution action enum

Valid values: `refund` · `replacement` · `compensation` · `warning_seller` · `ban_seller` · `no_action`

> [!note] `messages` in the interface
> The TypeScript interface mentions an optional embedded `messages[]` array, but the actual Mongoose schema does not declare it — messages live in [[Chat]] via `chatId`.

## Virtuals

None defined.

## Indexes

Defined at `backend/src/models/Dispute.ts`:

- `{ purchaseRequestId: 1 }`
- `{ buyerId: 1 }`
- `{ sellerId: 1 }`
- `{ adminId: 1 }`
- `{ status: 1 }`
- `{ priority: 1 }`
- `{ category: 1 }`
- `{ createdAt: -1 }`
- `{ status: 1, priority: -1 }` — admin queue
- `{ adminId: 1, status: 1 }` — per-admin workload

## Pre/Post Hooks

| Hook | Behaviour |
| --- | --- |
| `pre('save')` (`backend/src/models/Dispute.ts`) | On new documents pushes a `dispute_created` entry into `timeline` attributed to `buyerId`. |

## Instance Methods

None defined.

## Static Methods

None defined.

## Relationships

- **References**: [[PurchaseRequest]] (`purchaseRequestId`), [[User]] (`buyerId`, `sellerId`, `adminId`, evidence and timeline contributors, `resolution.resolvedBy`), [[Chat]] (`chatId`).
- **Referenced by**: none directly.

## State Transitions

```mermaid
stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> pending
    pending --> in_progress : admin assigned
    in_progress --> waiting_response : awaiting party
    waiting_response --> in_progress : response received
    in_progress --> resolved : action applied
    in_progress --> rejected : invalid
    resolved --> closed
    rejected --> closed
    closed --> [*]
```

## Common Queries

```ts
// Admin queue
Dispute.find({ status: { $in: ['pending', 'in_progress', 'waiting_response'] } })
       .sort({ priority: -1, createdAt: 1 });

// Buyer's disputes
Dispute.find({ buyerId }).sort({ createdAt: -1 });

// Seller's open disputes
Dispute.find({ sellerId, status: { $nin: ['resolved', 'rejected', 'closed'] } });

// Append timeline entry atomically
Dispute.updateOne(
  { _id },
  { $push: { timeline: { action, performedBy: adminId, performedAt: new Date(), details } } }
);
```

Related: [[PurchaseRequest]], [[User]], [[Chat]], [[Payment]].