diff --git a/src/application/ReconstructionObligationLedgerEvaluation.ts b/src/application/ReconstructionObligationLedgerEvaluation.ts
index 4123d067bb..cf6fb9018f 100644
--- a/src/application/ReconstructionObligationLedgerEvaluation.ts
+++ b/src/application/ReconstructionObligationLedgerEvaluation.ts
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ const evaluateObligation = (
 ): ReconstructionObligation => {
   const bindings = context.bindings.get(candidate.obligation_id) ?? [];
   const binding = bindings.length === 1 ? (bindings[0] ?? null) : null;
+  const originalCases = originalCasesFor(candidate, binding);
   const diagnostics: Diagnostic[] = [];
   if (candidate.definitionCount > 1)
     addDiagnostic(
@@ -203,9 +204,9 @@ const evaluateObligation = (
   if (binding !== null)
     evaluateBinding(candidate, binding, context, diagnostics);
   diagnostics.push(
-    ...originalCaseDiagnostics(candidate, binding, context.evidence),
+    ...originalCaseDiagnostics(candidate, originalCases, context.evidence),
   );
-  evaluateAuthority(candidate, binding, context, diagnostics);
+  evaluateAuthority(candidate, originalCases, context, diagnostics);
   evaluateDisposition(candidate, diagnostics);
   diagnostics.push(
     ...contradictionDiagnostics(
@@ -232,7 +233,7 @@ const evaluateObligation = (
     target: candidate.target,
     authority_references: candidate.authority_references,
     source_state: candidate.source_state,
-    observed_cases: originalCasesFor(candidate, binding),
+    observed_cases: originalCases,
     required: candidate.required,
     required_case_kinds: candidate.required_case_kinds,
     required_original_authority: candidate.required_original_authority,
@@ -407,7 +408,7 @@ const evaluateVerifier = (
 
 const evaluateAuthority = (
   candidate: ReconstructionObligationCandidate,
-  binding: Binding | null,
+  originalCases: ReconstructionObligation["observed_cases"],
   context: EvaluationContext,
   diagnostics: Diagnostic[],
 ): void => {
@@ -426,18 +427,16 @@ const evaluateAuthority = (
       );
     },
   );
-  const caseSatisfied = originalCasesFor(candidate, binding).some(
-    ({ evidence_id: evidenceId }) => {
-      const evidence = context.evidence.get(evidenceId);
-      return (
-        evidence !== undefined &&
-        evidenceSupportsOriginalAuthority(
-          evidence,
-          candidate.required_original_authority,
-        )
-      );
-    },
-  );
+  const caseSatisfied = originalCases.some(({ evidence_id: evidenceId }) => {
+    const evidence = context.evidence.get(evidenceId);
+    return (
+      evidence !== undefined &&
+      evidenceSupportsOriginalAuthority(
+        evidence,
+        candidate.required_original_authority,
+      )
+    );
+  });
   const satisfied = referenceSatisfied || caseSatisfied;
   if (!satisfied)
     addDiagnostic(
diff --git a/src/application/ReconstructionObligationOriginalCases.ts b/src/application/ReconstructionObligationOriginalCases.ts
index 0c180214bc..d2a74cc24d 100644
--- a/src/application/ReconstructionObligationOriginalCases.ts
+++ b/src/application/ReconstructionObligationOriginalCases.ts
@@ -31,11 +31,10 @@ export const originalCasesFor = (
 /** Report original cases that are absent or lack comparable Evidence authority. */
 export const originalCaseDiagnostics = (
   candidate: ReconstructionObligationCandidate,
-  binding: Binding | null,
+  originalCases: ReconstructionObligation["observed_cases"],
   evidenceById: ReadonlyMap<string, Evidence>,
 ): Diagnostic[] => {
   const diagnostics: Diagnostic[] = [];
-  const originalCases = originalCasesFor(candidate, binding);
   // Retain optional case rows, but never leave one of their Evidence links
   // unresolved merely because its kind is not required for closure.
   for (const { kind, evidence_id: evidenceId } of originalCases)