diff --git a/web-ui/src/components/cases/status-hero.tsx b/web-ui/src/components/cases/status-hero.tsx
index 3cd734e..043d822 100644
--- a/web-ui/src/components/cases/status-hero.tsx
+++ b/web-ui/src/components/cases/status-hero.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { PHASES, type CaseStatus } from "@/lib/api/case-status";
+import { PHASES, phaseIndexOf, type CaseStatus } from "@/lib/api/case-status";
 import { statusLabel } from "@/lib/api/case-status";
 import { StatusChanger } from "@/components/cases/status-changer";
 import { StatusGuide } from "@/components/cases/status-guide";
@@ -22,11 +22,6 @@ const EXPECTED_OUTCOME_LABELS: Record<string, string> = Object.fromEntries(
   expectedOutcomes.map((o) => [o.value, o.label]),
 );
 
-function phaseIndexOf(status?: CaseStatus): number {
-  if (!status) return -1;
-  return PHASES.findIndex((p) => p.statuses.includes(status));
-}
-
 /** Horizontal RTL stepper over the 5 lifecycle phases (mockup 18b .stepper). */
 function HorizontalStepper({ status }: { status?: CaseStatus }) {
   const currentIdx = phaseIndexOf(status);
diff --git a/web-ui/src/components/cases/workflow-timeline.tsx b/web-ui/src/components/cases/workflow-timeline.tsx
index 4d887d4..0ec9e83 100644
--- a/web-ui/src/components/cases/workflow-timeline.tsx
+++ b/web-ui/src/components/cases/workflow-timeline.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { PHASES, type CaseStatus, type PhaseKey } from "@/lib/api/case-status";
+import { PHASES, phaseIndexOf, type CaseStatus, type PhaseKey } from "@/lib/api/case-status";
 import { STATUS_LABELS, STATUS_ICONS, STATUS_DESCRIPTIONS } from "@/components/cases/status-badge";
 import {
   FolderInput, ClipboardList, Brain, PenLine, CheckCircle2,
@@ -21,11 +21,6 @@ const PHASE_ICONS: Record<PhaseKey, LucideIcon> = {
   done:     CheckCircle2,
 };
 
-function phaseIndexOf(status?: CaseStatus): number {
-  if (!status) return -1;
-  return PHASES.findIndex((p) => p.statuses.includes(status));
-}
-
 export function WorkflowTimeline({ status }: { status?: CaseStatus }) {
   const currentIdx = phaseIndexOf(status);
 
diff --git a/web-ui/src/lib/api/case-status.ts b/web-ui/src/lib/api/case-status.ts
index 25aa3ca..d3fdc81 100644
--- a/web-ui/src/lib/api/case-status.ts
+++ b/web-ui/src/lib/api/case-status.ts
@@ -40,10 +40,40 @@ export const PHASES: { key: PhaseKey; label: string; statuses: CaseStatus[] }[]
   { key: "done",     label: "סגירה",         statuses: ["exported", "reviewed", "final"] },
 ];
 
-/** Which phase a status belongs to (undefined for unknown/legacy values). */
+/**
+ * Legacy/intermediate statuses that the trimmed PHASES list dropped but the
+ * Paperclip agents still set (e.g. the analyst writes `analyst_verified`, the
+ * researcher writes `research_complete`). Without this map a case parked on one
+ * of them renders with NO active phase — the pipeline stepper goes blank and the
+ * chair can't see where the case stands. Map each to the phase it belongs to for
+ * display purposes only (these are NOT selectable statuses).
+ */
+const LEGACY_STATUS_PHASE: Record<string, PhaseKey> = {
+  analyst_verified: "thinking",
+  research_complete: "thinking",
+  analysis_enriched: "thinking",
+  ready_for_writing: "writing",
+  drafting: "writing",
+  in_progress: "thinking",
+};
+
+/** Which phase a status belongs to (undefined only for truly unknown values). */
 export function phaseOf(status?: CaseStatus | string): PhaseKey | undefined {
   if (!status) return undefined;
-  return PHASES.find((p) => (p.statuses as string[]).includes(status))?.key;
+  return (
+    PHASES.find((p) => (p.statuses as string[]).includes(status))?.key ??
+    LEGACY_STATUS_PHASE[status]
+  );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Index of a status within the 5-phase pipeline (−1 only for unknown values).
+ * Single source of truth for the stepper — handles legacy statuses via phaseOf,
+ * so a case on `analyst_verified` lands on "ניתוח וכיוון" instead of blank.
+ */
+export function phaseIndexOf(status?: CaseStatus | string): number {
+  const key = phaseOf(status);
+  return key ? PHASES.findIndex((p) => p.key === key) : -1;
 }
 
 export const STATUS_LABELS: Record<CaseStatus, string> = {