diff --git a/src/server/routers/filtering.ts b/src/server/routers/filtering.ts
index 43bd179..fdb4ce8 100644
--- a/src/server/routers/filtering.ts
+++ b/src/server/routers/filtering.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,24 @@ import {
   NotificationTypes,
 } from '../services/in-app-notification'
 
+/**
+ * Verify the current session user exists in the database.
+ * Guards against stale JWT sessions (e.g., after database reseed).
+ */
+async function ensureUserExists(db: PrismaClient, userId: string): Promise<string> {
+  const user = await db.user.findUnique({
+    where: { id: userId },
+    select: { id: true },
+  })
+  if (!user) {
+    throw new TRPCError({
+      code: 'UNAUTHORIZED',
+      message: 'Your session refers to a user that no longer exists. Please log out and log back in.',
+    })
+  }
+  return user.id
+}
+
 /**
  * Extract a numeric confidence/quality score from aiScreeningJson.
  * Looks for common keys: overallScore, confidenceScore, score, qualityScore.
@@ -908,18 +926,20 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
       })
     )
     .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
+      const verifiedUserId = await ensureUserExists(ctx.prisma, ctx.user.id)
+
       const result = await ctx.prisma.filteringResult.update({
         where: { id: input.id },
         data: {
           finalOutcome: input.finalOutcome,
-          overriddenBy: ctx.user.id,
+          overriddenByUser: { connect: { id: verifiedUserId } },
           overriddenAt: new Date(),
           overrideReason: input.reason,
         },
       })
 
       await logAudit({
-        userId: ctx.user.id,
+        userId: verifiedUserId,
         action: 'UPDATE',
         entityType: 'FilteringResult',
         entityId: input.id,
@@ -946,18 +966,20 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
       })
     )
     .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
+      const verifiedUserId = await ensureUserExists(ctx.prisma, ctx.user.id)
+
       await ctx.prisma.filteringResult.updateMany({
         where: { id: { in: input.ids } },
         data: {
           finalOutcome: input.finalOutcome,
-          overriddenBy: ctx.user.id,
+          overriddenBy: verifiedUserId,
           overriddenAt: new Date(),
           overrideReason: input.reason,
         },
       })
 
       await logAudit({
-        userId: ctx.user.id,
+        userId: verifiedUserId,
         action: 'BULK_UPDATE_STATUS',
         entityType: 'FilteringResult',
         detailsJson: {
@@ -983,6 +1005,8 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
       })
     )
     .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
+      const verifiedUserId = await ensureUserExists(ctx.prisma, ctx.user.id)
+
       const currentRound = await ctx.prisma.round.findUniqueOrThrow({
         where: { id: input.roundId },
         select: { id: true, competitionId: true, sortOrder: true, name: true },
@@ -1101,7 +1125,7 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
             where: { id: { in: demotedIds } },
             data: {
               finalOutcome: 'FLAGGED',
-              overriddenBy: ctx.user.id,
+              overriddenBy: verifiedUserId,
               overriddenAt: new Date(),
               overrideReason: 'Demoted by category target enforcement',
             },
@@ -1112,7 +1136,7 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
       await ctx.prisma.$transaction(operations)
 
       await logAudit({
-        userId: ctx.user.id,
+        userId: verifiedUserId,
         action: 'UPDATE',
         entityType: 'Stage',
         entityId: input.roundId,
@@ -1149,6 +1173,8 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
       })
     )
     .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
+      const verifiedUserId = await ensureUserExists(ctx.prisma, ctx.user.id)
+
       await ctx.prisma.filteringResult.update({
         where: {
           roundId_projectId: {
@@ -1158,7 +1184,7 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
         },
         data: {
           finalOutcome: 'PASSED',
-          overriddenBy: ctx.user.id,
+          overriddenByUser: { connect: { id: verifiedUserId } },
           overriddenAt: new Date(),
           overrideReason: 'Reinstated by admin',
         },
@@ -1170,7 +1196,7 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
       })
 
       await logAudit({
-        userId: ctx.user.id,
+        userId: verifiedUserId,
         action: 'UPDATE',
         entityType: 'FilteringResult',
         detailsJson: {
@@ -1192,6 +1218,8 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
       })
     )
     .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
+      const verifiedUserId = await ensureUserExists(ctx.prisma, ctx.user.id)
+
       await ctx.prisma.$transaction([
         ...input.projectIds.map((projectId) =>
           ctx.prisma.filteringResult.update({
@@ -1203,7 +1231,7 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
             },
             data: {
               finalOutcome: 'PASSED',
-              overriddenBy: ctx.user.id,
+              overriddenByUser: { connect: { id: verifiedUserId } },
               overriddenAt: new Date(),
               overrideReason: 'Bulk reinstated by admin',
             },
@@ -1216,7 +1244,7 @@ export const filteringRouter = router({
       ])
 
       await logAudit({
-        userId: ctx.user.id,
+        userId: verifiedUserId,
         action: 'BULK_UPDATE_STATUS',
         entityType: 'FilteringResult',
         detailsJson: {