diff --git a/e2e/board.smoke.spec.ts b/e2e/board.smoke.spec.ts
index 931d2e0..c12b19c 100644
--- a/e2e/board.smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/board.smoke.spec.ts
@@ -131,11 +131,19 @@ test('move, folder expansion, empty-board pan, desktop wheel zoom, mobile pinch,
   await organizationConcept.getByRole('button', { name: 'EDIT DOSSIER', exact: true }).click()
   await page.getByLabel('Organization type').selectOption('public_body')
   await waitForSave(page, () => page.getByRole('button', { name: 'SAVE DOSSIER', exact: true }).click())
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'CREATE PARTY NOT LISTED ABOVE', exact: true }).click()
+  await expect(page.getByText('Create party dossier', { exact: true })).toBeVisible()
+  await page.getByLabel('Party type').selectOption('person')
+  await page.getByLabel('Party name').fill('Mara Elise Voss')
+  await page.getByLabel('Party summary').fill('Identified by the investigator outside the supplied concept list.')
+  await page.locator('.party-editor .folder-members input[type="checkbox"]').first().check()
+  await waitForSave(page, () => page.getByRole('button', { name: 'SAVE DOSSIER', exact: true }).click())
+  await expect(page.locator('.brief-panel')).toBeVisible()
   await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'RETURN TO BOARD', exact: true }).click()
   await page.reload()
   await expect(page.locator('.brief-panel')).toBeHidden()
-  await expect(page.locator('.evidence-card.party')).toHaveCount(2)
-  await expect(page.locator('.evidence-card.party')).toContainText(['Ada Lovelace', 'Difference Engine Bureau'])
+  await expect(page.locator('.evidence-card.party')).toHaveCount(3)
+  await expect(page.locator('.evidence-card.party')).toContainText(['Ada Lovelace', 'Difference Engine Bureau', 'Mara Elise Voss'])
 
   await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'NEW EVENT', exact: true }).click()
   await expect(page.getByText('Edit reconstructed event')).toBeVisible()
diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index b221926..3190c38 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export function App() {
   const [editingFileId, setEditingFileId] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [editingEventId, setEditingEventId] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [editingPartyId, setEditingPartyId] = useState<string | null>(null)
+  const [newPartyDraft, setNewPartyDraft] = useState<Evidence | null>(null)
   const [briefOpen, setBriefOpen] = useState(false)
   const [editingBrief, setEditingBrief] = useState(false)
   const [editingTimeline, setEditingTimeline] = useState(false)
@@ -147,6 +148,15 @@ export function App() {
     setSelected(event.id); setRecentlyCreatedExhibitId(event.id); setEditingEventId(event.id)
   }
 
+  const addParty = () => {
+    if (!caseState) return
+    const { viewport } = caseState
+    const position = nextOpenBoardPosition(caseState.evidence, {
+      x: Math.max(100, (670 - viewport.x) / viewport.zoom), y: Math.max(100, (310 - viewport.y) / viewport.zoom),
+    }, { width: 280 })
+    setNewPartyDraft({ id: uid('party'), type: 'party', partyKind: 'person', title: '', content: '', aliases: [], relatedEvidenceIds: [], ...position, width: 280 })
+  }
+
   const classifyConcept = (conceptId: string, partyKind: PartyKind) => {
     if (!caseState) return
     const concept = caseState.brief.concepts.find(item => item.id === conceptId)
@@ -330,6 +340,7 @@ export function App() {
           onClose={closeBrief}
           onEdit={() => setEditingBrief(true)}
           onClassify={classifyConcept}
+          onNewParty={addParty}
           onLocate={focusEvidence}
           onEditParty={setEditingPartyId}
         />}
@@ -341,6 +352,7 @@ export function App() {
           <span />
           <button onClick={addNote}><NotebookPen size={17}/> NEW NOTE</button>
           <button onClick={addEvent}><CalendarClock size={17}/> NEW EVENT</button>
+          <button onClick={addParty}><UserRound size={17}/> NEW PARTY</button>
           <button className={`thread-tool ${linkFrom ? 'active' : ''}`} aria-label="Red thread" title={linkFrom ? 'Cancel red thread' : selected ? 'Connect selected exhibit with red thread' : 'Select an exhibit first'} disabled={!selected} onClick={toggleThreadTool}><Link2 size={18}/></button>
           <span />
           <button aria-label="Zoom out" onClick={() => update(s => ({ ...s, viewport: { ...s.viewport, zoom: clampBoardZoom(s.viewport.zoom - .1) } }))}><ZoomOut size={18}/></button>
@@ -377,6 +389,21 @@ export function App() {
         setStatus('PARTY DOSSIER UPDATED')
       }}
     />}
+    {newPartyDraft && <PartyEditor
+      key={newPartyDraft.id}
+      party={newPartyDraft}
+      evidence={caseState.evidence}
+      documents={caseState.documents}
+      creating
+      onClose={() => setNewPartyDraft(null)}
+      onSave={party => {
+        update(state => ({ ...state, evidence: [...state.evidence, party] }))
+        setNewPartyDraft(null)
+        setSelected(party.id)
+        setRecentlyCreatedExhibitId(party.id)
+        setStatus(`${party.partyKind === 'person' ? 'PERSON' : 'ORGANIZATION'} DOSSIER CREATED`)
+      }}
+    />}
     {editingBrief && <BriefEditor
       brief={caseState.brief}
       onClose={() => setEditingBrief(false)}
@@ -665,12 +692,13 @@ function ThreadEditor({ connection, sourceName, targetName, isNew, onClose, onSa
   </form></div>
 }
 
-function BriefPanel({ brief, parties, recentlyCreatedExhibitId, canEdit, onClose, onEdit, onClassify, onLocate, onEditParty }: { brief: LevelBrief; parties: Evidence[]; recentlyCreatedExhibitId: string | null; canEdit: boolean; onClose: () => void; onEdit: () => void; onClassify: (id: string, kind: PartyKind) => void; onLocate: (id: string) => void; onEditParty: (id: string) => void }) {
+function BriefPanel({ brief, parties, recentlyCreatedExhibitId, canEdit, onClose, onEdit, onClassify, onNewParty, onLocate, onEditParty }: { brief: LevelBrief; parties: Evidence[]; recentlyCreatedExhibitId: string | null; canEdit: boolean; onClose: () => void; onEdit: () => void; onClassify: (id: string, kind: PartyKind) => void; onNewParty: () => void; onLocate: (id: string) => void; onEditParty: (id: string) => void }) {
   const partyById = new Map(parties.map(party => [party.id, party]))
   const unresolved = brief.concepts.filter(concept => !concept.resolvedPartyExhibitId).length
   return <aside className="brief-panel"><header><div><small>LEVEL BRIEF · {unresolved} UNRESOLVED</small><b>CONCEPT CLASSIFICATION</b></div><button aria-label="Close brief" onClick={onClose}><X size={14}/></button></header>
     <p>{brief.body || 'No brief has been authored yet.'}</p>
     <div className="brief-concepts">{brief.concepts.map(concept => { const resolved = concept.resolvedPartyExhibitId ? partyById.get(concept.resolvedPartyExhibitId) : undefined; return <section className={`${resolved ? 'resolved' : ''} ${resolved?.id === recentlyCreatedExhibitId ? 'just-resolved' : ''}`} key={concept.id}><div><b>{concept.label}</b><span>{concept.context}</span></div>{resolved ? <div className="resolved-actions"><span>{resolved.partyKind === 'person' ? <UserRound size={14}/> : <Building2 size={14}/>} {resolved.partyKind?.toUpperCase()}</span><button onClick={() => onLocate(resolved.id)}>LOCATE</button><button onClick={() => onEditParty(resolved.id)}>EDIT DOSSIER</button></div> : <div className="classify-actions"><button onClick={() => onClassify(concept.id, 'person')}><UserRound size={14}/> PERSON</button><button onClick={() => onClassify(concept.id, 'organization')}><Building2 size={14}/> ORGANIZATION</button></div>}</section> })}</div>
+    <button className="new-party-from-brief" onClick={onNewParty}><Plus size={13}/> CREATE PARTY NOT LISTED ABOVE</button>
     {canEdit && <button className="edit-brief" onClick={onEdit}><Pencil size={13}/> EDIT BRIEF & CONCEPTS</button>}
     <button className="dismiss-brief" onClick={onClose}>{unresolved === brief.concepts.length ? 'BEGIN INVESTIGATION' : 'RETURN TO BOARD'}</button>
   </aside>
@@ -692,20 +720,22 @@ function BriefEditor({ brief, onClose, onSave }: { brief: LevelBrief; onClose: (
   </form></div>
 }
 
-function PartyEditor({ party, evidence, documents, onClose, onSave }: { party: Evidence; evidence: Evidence[]; documents: CaseDocument[]; onClose: () => void; onSave: (party: Evidence) => void }) {
+function PartyEditor({ party, evidence, documents, creating = false, onClose, onSave }: { party: Evidence; evidence: Evidence[]; documents: CaseDocument[]; creating?: boolean; onClose: () => void; onSave: (party: Evidence) => void }) {
   const [name, setName] = useState(party.title)
   const [summary, setSummary] = useState(party.content)
+  const [partyKind, setPartyKind] = useState<PartyKind>(party.partyKind || 'person')
   const [organizationKind, setOrganizationKind] = useState<OrganizationKind>(party.organizationKind || 'business')
   const [aliases, setAliases] = useState((party.aliases || []).join('\n'))
   const [related, setRelated] = useState(party.relatedEvidenceIds || [])
   const candidates = [...evidence.filter(item => item.id !== party.id && item.type !== 'party').map(item => ({ id: item.id, title: item.title, kind: item.type.toUpperCase() })), ...documents.map(item => ({ id: item.id, title: item.title, kind: item.fileType.toUpperCase() }))]
   const toggle = (id: string) => setRelated(current => current.includes(id) ? current.filter(item => item !== id) : [...current, id])
-  return <div className="modal-shade"><form className="window folder-editor party-editor" onSubmit={submit => { submit.preventDefault(); onSave({ ...party, title: name.trim() || party.title, content: summary.trim(), organizationKind: party.partyKind === 'organization' ? organizationKind : undefined, aliases: aliases.split('\n').map(item => item.trim()).filter(Boolean), relatedEvidenceIds: related }) }}>
-    <header>{party.partyKind === 'person' ? <UserRound size={16}/> : <Building2 size={16}/>}<b>Edit {party.partyKind} dossier</b><span/><button type="button" aria-label="Close party editor" onClick={onClose}><X size={14}/></button></header>
-    <div className="folder-editor-body"><small>PARTY EXHIBIT · {party.partyKind?.toUpperCase()}</small>
-      <label className="field"><span>DISPLAY NAME</span><input aria-label="Party name" value={name} onChange={event => setName(event.target.value)}/></label>
+  return <div className="modal-shade"><form className="window folder-editor party-editor" onSubmit={submit => { submit.preventDefault(); onSave({ ...party, partyKind, title: name.trim(), content: summary.trim(), organizationKind: partyKind === 'organization' ? organizationKind : undefined, aliases: aliases.split('\n').map(item => item.trim()).filter(Boolean), relatedEvidenceIds: related }) }}>
+    <header>{partyKind === 'person' ? <UserRound size={16}/> : <Building2 size={16}/>}<b>{creating ? 'Create party dossier' : `Edit ${partyKind} dossier`}</b><span/><button type="button" aria-label="Close party editor" onClick={onClose}><X size={14}/></button></header>
+    <div className="folder-editor-body"><small>PARTY EXHIBIT · {partyKind.toUpperCase()}</small>
+      {creating && <label className="field"><span>PARTY TYPE</span><select aria-label="Party type" value={partyKind} onChange={event => setPartyKind(event.target.value as PartyKind)}><option value="person">Person</option><option value="organization">Organization</option></select></label>}
+      <label className="field"><span>DISPLAY NAME</span><input aria-label="Party name" required value={name} onChange={event => setName(event.target.value)}/></label>
       <label className="field"><span>DOSSIER SUMMARY</span><textarea aria-label="Party summary" rows={3} value={summary} onChange={event => setSummary(event.target.value)}/></label>
-      {party.partyKind === 'organization' && <label className="field"><span>ORGANIZATION TYPE</span><select aria-label="Organization type" value={organizationKind} onChange={event => setOrganizationKind(event.target.value as OrganizationKind)}><option value="business">Business</option><option value="public_body">Public body</option><option value="association">Association</option><option value="informal_group">Informal group</option><option value="other">Other</option></select></label>}
+      {partyKind === 'organization' && <label className="field"><span>ORGANIZATION TYPE</span><select aria-label="Organization type" value={organizationKind} onChange={event => setOrganizationKind(event.target.value as OrganizationKind)}><option value="business">Business</option><option value="public_body">Public body</option><option value="association">Association</option><option value="informal_group">Informal group</option><option value="other">Other</option></select></label>}
       <label className="field"><span>ALIASES · ONE PER LINE</span><textarea aria-label="Party aliases" rows={2} value={aliases} onChange={event => setAliases(event.target.value)}/></label>
       <div className="folder-members-heading"><div><b>ASSOCIATED EVIDENCE</b><small>{related.length} LINKED</small></div><span>PARTY DOSSIER</span></div>
       <div className="folder-members">{candidates.map(candidate => { const included = related.includes(candidate.id); return <div className={`folder-member ${included ? 'included' : ''}`} key={candidate.id}><label><input type="checkbox" checked={included} onChange={() => toggle(candidate.id)}/><Network size={16}/><span><b>{candidate.title}</b><small>{candidate.kind}</small></span></label><span className="folder-member-date">{included ? 'ASSOCIATED' : 'NOT LINKED'}</span></div> })}</div>
diff --git a/src/styles.css b/src/styles.css
index ebc617e..4afe3f3 100644
--- a/src/styles.css
+++ b/src/styles.css
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ button:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #e99a44; outline-offset: 2px; }
 .brief-panel > header div { display: grid; gap: 2px; }.brief-panel > header small { color: #9bb0a9; font: 7px IBM Plex Mono; letter-spacing: .14em; }.brief-panel > header b { font: 10px IBM Plex Mono; }.brief-panel > header button { margin-left: auto; width: 25px; height: 24px; display: grid; place-items: center; }
 .brief-panel > p { margin: 16px; padding: 13px; background: #e2dfd2; border-left: 3px solid #a66d37; font: 13px/1.55 Special Elite; }
 .brief-concepts { border-top: 1px solid #8c958e; }.brief-concepts section { padding: 12px 15px; border-bottom: 1px solid #959c95; }.brief-concepts section.resolved { background: #d5ddcf; }.brief-concepts section.just-resolved { animation: concept-resolved 1.15s ease-out; }.brief-concepts section > div:first-child { display: grid; gap: 4px; }.brief-concepts b { font: 600 10px IBM Plex Mono; }.brief-concepts span { color: #616d67; font: 9px Special Elite; }
-.classify-actions, .resolved-actions { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 7px; margin-top: 9px; }.classify-actions button, .resolved-actions button, .edit-brief { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 5px; border: 1px outset #89948e; background: #e3e1d6; color: #29463e; padding: 7px 8px; cursor: pointer; font: 8px IBM Plex Mono; }.resolved-actions > span { margin-right: auto; display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 5px; color: #31584d; font: 600 8px IBM Plex Mono; }.edit-brief { margin: 12px 15px; background: #234c41; color: white; }.dismiss-brief { width: calc(100% - 30px); margin: 0 15px 14px; padding: 9px; border: 1px outset #73877f; background: #1e473d; color: white; cursor: pointer; font: 600 9px IBM Plex Mono; letter-spacing: .08em; }
+.classify-actions, .resolved-actions { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 7px; margin-top: 9px; }.classify-actions button, .resolved-actions button, .edit-brief, .new-party-from-brief { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 5px; border: 1px outset #89948e; background: #e3e1d6; color: #29463e; padding: 7px 8px; cursor: pointer; font: 8px IBM Plex Mono; }.resolved-actions > span { margin-right: auto; display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 5px; color: #31584d; font: 600 8px IBM Plex Mono; }.edit-brief, .new-party-from-brief { margin: 12px 15px 0; }.edit-brief { background: #234c41; color: white; }.new-party-from-brief { width: calc(100% - 30px); justify-content: center; border-style: dashed; background: #d8d8cf; }.dismiss-brief { width: calc(100% - 30px); margin: 12px 15px 14px; padding: 9px; border: 1px outset #73877f; background: #1e473d; color: white; cursor: pointer; font: 600 9px IBM Plex Mono; letter-spacing: .08em; }
 @keyframes concept-resolved { 0% { background: #e8b76c; box-shadow: inset 4px 0 #b56127; } 100% { background: #d5ddcf; box-shadow: inset 0 0 transparent; } }
 .concept-editor-list { max-height: 280px; overflow: auto; border: 1px solid #8d968f; background: #d4d5cd; }.concept-editor-row { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 150px 1fr 125px 30px; gap: 6px; padding: 7px; border-bottom: 1px solid #9fa59e; }.concept-editor-row input, .concept-editor-row select { min-width: 0; border: 1px solid #7d8780; background: #e8e5d8; padding: 7px; font: 9px IBM Plex Mono; }.concept-editor-row button { border: 0; color: #713c2d; }
 .file-drop-overlay { position: absolute; z-index: 20; inset: 14px; border: 2px dashed #e19a4d; background: #0a211de8; display: grid; place-items: center; pointer-events: none; }.file-drop-overlay > div { width: 290px; height: 150px; border: 1px solid #5e786f; background: #102c25; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; gap: 10px; box-shadow: 9px 10px #020b09; color: #d99a58; }.file-drop-overlay b { font: 600 12px IBM Plex Mono; letter-spacing: .08em; }.file-drop-overlay span { font: 9px IBM Plex Mono; color: #78928a; letter-spacing: .12em; }