The Verdict Network is building a blockchain that boasts an opinionated smart contract framework built to make smart contract development easier. The smart contract framework, dubbed Authority, is similar to using jQuery on top of JavaScript—it abstracts away problem areas and makes application development and lifecycle management easier. Authority also boasts a user interface which non technical users can use to create smart contracts for a wide variety of use cases. Hundreds of organizations in the US and dozens in the Seattle area are using Verdict in beta to build their blockchains because Verdict's technology is well suited for real-world use cases—doing things that chains like Ethereum cannot.