From PDFs to public maps

GlassCase maps how law operates in practice, identifying discretion, delay and review structure across jurisdictions.

Founded by Jay Spudvilas, the lab builds civic-legal tools grounded in lived administrative data. Public-facing pathway guides are delivered through LightKey, a GlassCase initiative.

Problem

People don't see what happens after lodging a Freedom of Information request or challenging an administrative decision. Policymakers can't visualise where discretion lives or where delays cluster. Law students learn doctrine, not the procedural realities that shape outcomes. The result: low trust and slow reform.

Fragmented systems

Commonwealth and state frameworks

Rules live in Acts, policies, ministerial directions and agency manuals. No shared map, no shared language.

Opaque pathways

What actually happens after you click submit

Process steps, tribunal procedures, review timelines and exemption criteria sit out of view, so outcomes remain unpredictable and system design remains invisible to those affected.

Available Now

Consideration Matrix (v0.1)

Diagnostic tool for mapping mandatory and discretionary considerations in administrative decisions. Built from Peko-Wallsend and Li.
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Redaction Taxonomy (v0.2)

Practical coding scheme for analysing FOI redactions and decision quality. Includes FOI Redaction Logic Visualiser.
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Institutional Stress Mapper (v0.1)

Diagnostic tool for mapping institutional stress signals over time. Score subsystems, detect patterns, identify where deeper inquiry may be warranted.
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Findings

Essays and analysis on administrative law, transparency, and civic technology.
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LightKey

Public accessibility initiative · A GlassCase initiative

Step-by-step pathway guides and accessible process explainers for people interacting with government systems. Designed with particular attention to neurodivergent people and people with disability.

Visit LightKey →

In Development

Tools we're building next:

FOI Process Visualiser

For transparency journalists, researchers and oversight bodies
Maps each step and delay point in an FOI request using aggregated timelines drawn from agencies and review bodies.

Policy‑Decision Heatmap

For Commonwealth and state departments
Shows where discretion or inconsistency clusters so leaders can target reform and briefing obligations.

Procedural Fairness Simulator

For universities and VPS training
Models how small rule changes affect outcomes using Australian case exemplars. Teaches fairness as system design.

Transparency Impact Tracker

For NGOs and policy units
Scores draft policies for opacity risk using structured text analysis, producing improvement prompts aligned to Australian Government transparency standards.

Legal Decision Explorer

For students and researchers
Converts rulings into visual narratives that link doctrine to procedure across High Court, Federal Court and tribunal decisions.

Why now

Policy tailwind

Australian Government Data and Digital Government Strategy

Explicit support for civic‑tech partnerships that translate policy into accessible public insight.

Our edge

Practitioner experience + instructional design

Credibility to build tools that are accurate and publicly valuable across FOI, tribunals and policy systems.

Model

Open-access tools supported through research collaborations, education programs and limited commissioned work.

GlassCase.org

Open tools

Open diagnostic tools and data visualisations for Australian civic-legal systems.

Research Collaborations & Applied Work

Partnerships

Co-design pilots, applied research and education partnerships that support GlassCase's open tools.

Roadmap

✓ 2025–2026
  • Core tools launched: Consideration Matrix, Redaction Taxonomy, Institutional Stress Mapper. Senate submission on FOI reform.
2026
  • LightKey public launch. FOI Process Visualiser. Procedural Fairness Simulator pilot.
2027+
  • University and government partnerships. Non-profit formation. Open APIs and cross-jurisdictional scaling.

Get involved

Ready to make integrity visible?

Collaborate Partner with us on research or policy projects Contribute Share data, code or design expertise Pilot Explore research partnerships or pilot implementations

Founder

Portrait of Jay Spudvilas

Jay Spudvilas is an education leader and administrative process researcher preparing for the Juris Doctor at ANU (2026).

His work draws on twelve years in public education governance: implementing statutory frameworks (OHS Act 2004 (Vic), Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth)), building audit-ready evidence systems, navigating administrative compliance, and designing data systems that withstand external review. Research identity: ORCID 0009-0000-0945-0380

Senate Submission 38

2025

Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the Freedom of Information Amendment (Reform) Bill 2025. See Submissions.

Zenodo Publications (2025)

ANU Juris Doctor

Commenced 2026

Administrative law focus. Building the academic foundation for GlassCase's civic transparency mission.

Master of Instructional Leadership

University of Melbourne

Dean's Honours List, #1 cohort ranking. Twelve years implementing statutory compliance systems in Victorian public education.