diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f794b73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Embedded default policy — site root (mount point of the default tree).
+# The bottom of every cascade unless an operator .zddc / .zddc.zip overrides.
+# Authored per-depth; the `_any_` directory maps to the `*` (any-segment)
+# wildcard when packaged into defaults.zddc.zip.
+title: "ZDDC"
+acl:
+  permissions: {}
+roles:
+  document_controller:
+    members: []
+  project_team:
+    members: []
+  observer:
+    members: []
+available_tools: [archive, browse, landing]
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..44ee314
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Project level (any project name): read across the project; create only at the
+# specific peers below — none gets `c` here.
+acl:
+  permissions:
+    project_team: r
+    observer: r
+    document_controller: rw
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/archive/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/archive/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec8bbf4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/archive/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# The committed record: pure WORM. Cascades to <party>/{received,issued}.
+default_tool: archive
+party_source: ssr
+worm: [document_controller]
+acl:
+  permissions:
+    document_controller: rwc
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/incoming/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/incoming/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..272197e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/incoming/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+default_tool: classifier
+available_tools: [classifier]
+party_source: ssr
+acl:
+  permissions:
+    document_controller: rwcd
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/incoming/_any_/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/incoming/_any_/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1087b4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/incoming/_any_/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+auto_own: true
+drop_target: true
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/mdl/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/mdl/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1cfeb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/mdl/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+default_tool: tables
+available_tools: [tables]
+party_source: ssr
+history: true
+acl:
+  permissions:
+    document_controller: rwcd
+    project_team: rwc
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/mdl/_any_/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/mdl/_any_/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ffaaf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/mdl/_any_/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+default_tool: tables
+records:
+  "*.yaml":
+    folder_fields:
+      originator: 0
+    filename_format: "{originator}-{project}-{discipline}-{type}-{sequence}-{suffix?}"
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/reviewing/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/reviewing/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c54898f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/reviewing/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+default_tool: browse
+available_tools: [browse]
+party_source: ssr
+acl:
+  permissions:
+    project_team: cr
+    document_controller: rwcda
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/reviewing/_any_/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/reviewing/_any_/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1087b4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/reviewing/_any_/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+auto_own: true
+drop_target: true
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/rsk/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/rsk/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1cfeb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/rsk/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+default_tool: tables
+available_tools: [tables]
+party_source: ssr
+history: true
+acl:
+  permissions:
+    document_controller: rwcd
+    project_team: rwc
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/rsk/_any_/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/rsk/_any_/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08691fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/rsk/_any_/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+default_tool: tables
+records:
+  "*.yaml":
+    folder_fields:
+      originator: 0
+    filename_format: "{originator}-{project}-{discipline}-{type}-{sequence}-{suffix?}-{row}"
+    field_defaults:
+      type: RSK
+    locked: [type]
+    row_field: row
+    row_scope_fields: [originator, project, discipline, type, sequence, suffix]
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/ssr/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/ssr/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..faaefb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/ssr/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Authoritative party registry + submittal status register. NO party_source.
+default_tool: tables
+available_tools: [tables]
+acl:
+  permissions:
+    document_controller: rwc
+history: true
+records:
+  "*.yaml":
+    field_defaults:
+      kind: SSR
+    locked: [kind]
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/staging/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/staging/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f05528
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/staging/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+default_tool: transmittal
+available_tools: [transmittal, classifier]
+party_source: ssr
+acl:
+  permissions:
+    project_team: cr
+    document_controller: rwcda
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/staging/_any_/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/staging/_any_/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1087b4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/staging/_any_/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+auto_own: true
+drop_target: true
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/working/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/working/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6aefe12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/working/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+default_tool: browse
+available_tools: [browse, classifier]
+party_source: ssr
+history: true
+acl:
+  permissions:
+    project_team: cr
+    document_controller: rwcda
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/working/_any_/.zddc b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/working/_any_/.zddc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1087b4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/defaults/_any_/working/_any_/.zddc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+auto_own: true
+drop_target: true
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/zippolicy.go b/zddc/internal/zddc/zippolicy.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f035bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/zippolicy.go
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+package zddc
+
+import (
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// PolicyTree is a set of .zddc documents addressed by directory path relative
+// to a mount point, with "*" as the any-segment wildcard. It is the in-memory
+// form of a per-depth default tree or an operator .zddc.zip dropped at a
+// directory: mounting the tree at directory D means key "working" governs
+// D/working/, "*/mdl" governs D/<anyproject>/mdl/, and "" is D's own .zddc.
+//
+// Resolution mirrors the paths: cascade — a literal segment beats "*" — so a
+// .zddc.zip and a paths: block compose identically. A .zddc.zip can therefore
+// be dropped at ANY level to contribute a whole policy subtree; combined with
+// inherit:false in its resolved .zddc it becomes a self-contained island.
+type PolicyTree map[string]ZddcFile
+
+// AnyPlaceholder is the on-disk directory name standing in for the "*" wildcard
+// in the embedded default-tree source (internal/zddc/defaults/), so the repo
+// holds no shell-/go:embed-hostile literal "*" directories. Operator .zddc.zip
+// bundles use "*" directly.
+const AnyPlaceholder = "_any_"
+
+// segsOf splits a "/"-joined member-dir key into segments ("" → no segments).
+func segsOf(key string) []string {
+	if key == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return strings.Split(key, "/")
+}
+
+// resolveTreeDir returns the member-dir key governing segs: same length, each
+// key segment literal-equal or "*", most-literal wins (a literal beats "*" at
+// the earliest differing position — matching the paths: literal-first rule).
+func (t PolicyTree) resolveTreeDir(segs []string) (string, bool) {
+	bestKey := ""
+	var bestSegs []string
+	found := false
+	for key := range t {
+		ks := segsOf(key)
+		if len(ks) != len(segs) {
+			continue
+		}
+		match := true
+		for i := range ks {
+			if ks[i] != "*" && ks[i] != segs[i] {
+				match = false
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !match {
+			continue
+		}
+		if !found || moreLiteral(ks, bestSegs) {
+			bestKey, bestSegs, found = key, ks, true
+		}
+	}
+	return bestKey, found
+}
+
+// moreLiteral reports whether a is more specific than b: at the earliest
+// position where one is literal and the other "*", the literal wins.
+func moreLiteral(a, b []string) bool {
+	for i := range a {
+		al, bl := a[i] != "*", b[i] != "*"
+		if al != bl {
+			return al
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// Along returns the .zddc documents this tree contributes along relSegs — one
+// per cascade level from the mount root (the empty prefix) down to the full
+// path, in root→leaf order (matching PolicyChain.Levels indexing). Levels with
+// no governing member contribute nothing.
+func (t PolicyTree) Along(relSegs []string) []ZddcFile {
+	var out []ZddcFile
+	for k := 0; k <= len(relSegs); k++ {
+		if key, ok := t.resolveTreeDir(relSegs[:k]); ok {
+			out = append(out, t[key])
+		}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+// LoadPolicyTreeFromDir loads a per-depth .zddc tree from fsDir, mapping the
+// AnyPlaceholder directory to the "*" wildcard. Keys are member dirs relative
+// to fsDir ("" for fsDir/.zddc). Used for the embedded default-tree source.
+func LoadPolicyTreeFromDir(fsDir string) (PolicyTree, error) {
+	out := PolicyTree{}
+	err := filepath.WalkDir(fsDir, func(p string, d fs.DirEntry, walkErr error) error {
+		if walkErr != nil {
+			return walkErr
+		}
+		if d.IsDir() || d.Name() != ".zddc" {
+			return nil
+		}
+		rel, err := filepath.Rel(fsDir, filepath.Dir(p))
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		key := ""
+		if rel != "." {
+			parts := strings.Split(filepath.ToSlash(rel), "/")
+			for i, s := range parts {
+				if s == AnyPlaceholder {
+					parts[i] = "*"
+				}
+			}
+			key = strings.Join(parts, "/")
+		}
+		data, err := os.ReadFile(p)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		zf, err := parseBytes(data)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		out[key] = zf
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return out, nil
+}
diff --git a/zddc/internal/zddc/zippolicy_test.go b/zddc/internal/zddc/zippolicy_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc6a181
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/zddc/zippolicy_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+package zddc
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// resolver matching mechanics: literal beats "*", length must match, most-
+// specific wins, empty path → root.
+func TestPolicyTreeResolve(t *testing.T) {
+	tree := PolicyTree{
+		"":             {Title: "root"},
+		"*":            {Title: "project"},
+		"working":      {Title: "literal-working"},
+		"*/working":    {Title: "any-working"},
+		"*/working/*":  {Title: "any-working-any"},
+		"*/mdl":        {Title: "any-mdl"},
+		"Proj/working": {Title: "proj-working"},
+	}
+	cases := []struct {
+		segs []string
+		want string // resolved key
+		ok   bool
+	}{
+		{nil, "", true},                                     // root
+		{[]string{"Proj"}, "*", true},                       // no literal "Proj" at level 1 → "*"
+		{[]string{"working"}, "working", true},              // literal beats "*"
+		{[]string{"Proj", "working"}, "Proj/working", true}, // both literal beats "*/working"
+		{[]string{"Other", "working"}, "*/working", true},   // first seg "*", second literal
+		{[]string{"Proj", "mdl"}, "*/mdl", true},
+		{[]string{"Proj", "working", "Acme"}, "*/working/*", true},
+		{[]string{"Proj", "nope"}, "", false}, // no len-2 key matches "*/nope"
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		got, ok := tree.resolveTreeDir(c.segs)
+		if ok != c.ok || (ok && got != c.want) {
+			t.Errorf("resolveTreeDir(%v) = (%q,%v), want (%q,%v)", c.segs, got, ok, c.want, c.ok)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Load the real embedded-default source tree and assert the split content
+// reproduces the intended document-control policy (the faithfulness check at
+// the data level; full effective-policy parity is the Layer-2 matrix once the
+// cascade is wired in Phase 4).
+func TestLoadPolicyTreeFromDir(t *testing.T) {
+	tree, err := LoadPolicyTreeFromDir("defaults")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("load defaults tree: %v", err)
+	}
+	wantKeys := []string{
+		"", "*", "*/archive", "*/ssr", "*/incoming", "*/incoming/*",
+		"*/reviewing", "*/reviewing/*", "*/working", "*/working/*",
+		"*/staging", "*/staging/*", "*/mdl", "*/mdl/*", "*/rsk", "*/rsk/*",
+	}
+	for _, k := range wantKeys {
+		if _, ok := tree[k]; !ok {
+			t.Errorf("missing tree key %q", k)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(tree) != len(wantKeys) {
+		t.Errorf("tree has %d keys, want %d: %v", len(tree), len(wantKeys), keysOf(tree))
+	}
+
+	// Spot-check the policy each member carries.
+	if got := tree[""].AvailableTools; !reflect.DeepEqual(got, []string{"archive", "browse", "landing"}) {
+		t.Errorf("root available_tools = %v", got)
+	}
+	if _, ok := tree[""].Roles["document_controller"]; !ok {
+		t.Errorf("root missing document_controller role")
+	}
+	if got := tree["*"].ACL.Permissions["project_team"]; got != "r" {
+		t.Errorf("project-level project_team = %q, want r", got)
+	}
+	if got := tree["*"].ACL.Permissions["document_controller"]; got != "rw" {
+		t.Errorf("project-level document_controller = %q, want rw", got)
+	}
+	if got := tree["*/working"].ACL.Permissions["document_controller"]; got != "rwcda" {
+		t.Errorf("working document_controller = %q, want rwcda", got)
+	}
+	if got := tree["*/working"].ACL.Permissions["project_team"]; got != "cr" {
+		t.Errorf("working project_team = %q, want cr", got)
+	}
+	if tree["*/working"].PartySource != "ssr" {
+		t.Errorf("working party_source = %q, want ssr", tree["*/working"].PartySource)
+	}
+	if h := tree["*/working"].History; h == nil || !*h {
+		t.Errorf("working history not true")
+	}
+	if got := tree["*/mdl"].ACL.Permissions["project_team"]; got != "rwc" {
+		t.Errorf("mdl project_team = %q, want rwc", got)
+	}
+	if got := tree["*/archive"].Worm; !reflect.DeepEqual(got, []string{"document_controller"}) {
+		t.Errorf("archive worm = %v, want [document_controller]", got)
+	}
+	if ao := tree["*/working/*"].AutoOwn; ao == nil || !*ao {
+		t.Errorf("working/<party> auto_own not true")
+	}
+}
+
+// Along returns the governing members in root→leaf order for a path.
+func TestPolicyTreeAlong(t *testing.T) {
+	tree, err := LoadPolicyTreeFromDir("defaults")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("load: %v", err)
+	}
+	levels := tree.Along([]string{"Proj", "working", "Acme"})
+	// "", "*", "*/working", "*/working/*" → 4 contributing levels.
+	if len(levels) != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("Along returned %d levels, want 4", len(levels))
+	}
+	// Leaf level is working/<party>: auto_own.
+	if ao := levels[3].AutoOwn; ao == nil || !*ao {
+		t.Errorf("leaf level should carry auto_own")
+	}
+	// The working level grants the DC full authority.
+	if got := levels[2].ACL.Permissions["document_controller"]; got != "rwcda" {
+		t.Errorf("level 2 (working) document_controller = %q, want rwcda", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func keysOf(t PolicyTree) []string {
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(t))
+	for k := range t {
+		out = append(out, k)
+	}
+	return out
+}