Check reference

Explain why an obligation does not apply

A suppression declares that an obligation does not apply. Its reason should let a reviewer examine that claim later, especially when the system or its operating environment changes.

What the check observes

The check walks obligation suppressions on active requirements at every level. It verifies that each reason is nonempty after trimming and meets the configured minimum length. The default minimum is 32 characters. This is a record-quality floor: the implementation can detect a blank or short reason, but cannot determine whether a long explanation is true.

Example: “internal only” hides a boundary assumption

Illustrative case. A service suppresses rate limiting because it is internal. That phrase leaves out who can reach it, what prevents overload, and which change would invalidate the decision. A useful reason identifies the actual boundary and where any delegated protection lives.

Weak: "internal only"

Reviewable claim:
"This offline batch parser accepts no network requests.
Its bounded input-size requirement is SYS-REQ-073."

Resolve the finding

Read the obligation definition and confirm that suppression, rather than delegation or deferral, describes the situation.
Record the concrete reason for non-applicability, including the boundary assumptions a future change could invalidate.
If the obligation applies, restore it and supply evidence or track the outstanding work. Padding an inapplicable rationale to the character minimum is not a review.

Run and interpret

proof audit --check obligation_suppression_rationale --verbose

This specification-stage check defaults to warning. The minimum is configured under the catalog baseline policy; empty reasons are always flagged. Audit defaults to failing on warnings unless configured otherwise.

Passing establishes reason shape, not the correctness of the applicability decision or its approval authority. Suppression review requirements depend on the project's policy and effective obligation severity. Revisit the decision when inputs, exposure, architecture, or assumptions change.

Continue from here

Check the required review record. Record ownership elsewhere.

Bring a suppression whose original justification is no longer clear. Bring a change to Proof.