diff --git a/src/components/ViolationCard.jsx b/src/components/ViolationCard.jsx
index 14463a7..58fb6c3 100644
--- a/src/components/ViolationCard.jsx
+++ b/src/components/ViolationCard.jsx
@@ -190,6 +190,11 @@ const ViolationCard = ({ violation, onStatusChange, isSelected, onSelect, showSe
                   <Badge className={cn("px-2 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-semibold border", getNoticeColor(stage))}>
                       {stage}
                   </Badge>
+                  {violation.created_at && (Date.now() - new Date(violation.created_at).getTime()) < 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 && (
+                      <Badge className="px-2 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-semibold border bg-emerald-100 text-emerald-700 border-emerald-200">
+                          New
+                      </Badge>
+                  )}
               </div>
 
               <h3 className="font-bold text-foreground text-base leading-tight mb-1">{violation.violation_type || violation.title}</h3>
diff --git a/src/components/ViolationDialog.jsx b/src/components/ViolationDialog.jsx
index 2a068d3..ae6813f 100644
--- a/src/components/ViolationDialog.jsx
+++ b/src/components/ViolationDialog.jsx
@@ -137,15 +137,21 @@ function ViolationDialog({ open, onOpenChange, violation, onSuccess, association
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const updateLevel = async () => {
-      if (!violation && formData.property_id) {
+      // Only auto-set the stage for NEW violations once a property is chosen.
+      if (!violation && (formData.property_id || formData.unit_id || formData.address)) {
         setCalculatingLevel(true);
-        const level = await calculateNextNoticeLevel(formData.property_id);
+        const level = await calculateNextNoticeLevel({
+          ownerId: formData.property_id || null,
+          unitId: formData.unit_id || null,
+          associationId: formData.association_id || null,
+          address: formData.address || null,
+        });
         setFormData(prev => ({ ...prev, stage: level }));
         setCalculatingLevel(false);
       }
     };
     updateLevel();
-  }, [formData.property_id, violation]);
+  }, [formData.property_id, formData.unit_id, formData.address, formData.association_id, violation]);
 
   const handleDefinedTypeChange = (typeId) => {
     const selected = definedTypes.find(t => t.id === typeId);
diff --git a/src/lib/ViolationNoticeProgressionHelper.js b/src/lib/ViolationNoticeProgressionHelper.js
index 6b4f6a2..f84a733 100644
--- a/src/lib/ViolationNoticeProgressionHelper.js
+++ b/src/lib/ViolationNoticeProgressionHelper.js
@@ -18,6 +18,16 @@ export const getNoticeLevel = (count) => {
   return NOTICE_LEVELS.FIRST;
 };
 
+// Ordered stages, low → high. The stage after the last is the final (capped).
+export const STAGE_ORDER = [NOTICE_LEVELS.FIRST, NOTICE_LEVELS.SECOND, NOTICE_LEVELS.THIRD];
+
+// The next stage after `current` (caps at Third & Final). Unknown → First.
+export const getNextStage = (current) => {
+  const i = STAGE_ORDER.indexOf(current);
+  if (i === -1) return NOTICE_LEVELS.FIRST;
+  return STAGE_ORDER[Math.min(i + 1, STAGE_ORDER.length - 1)];
+};
+
 export const getNoticeColor = (level) => {
   switch (level) {
     case NOTICE_LEVELS.THIRD:
@@ -30,18 +40,34 @@ export const getNoticeColor = (level) => {
   }
 };
 
-export const calculateNextNoticeLevel = async (unitId) => {
-  if (!unitId) return NOTICE_LEVELS.FIRST;
-
+// Determine the stage for a NEW violation on a property: advance one step past
+// the property's highest CURRENTLY-OPEN stage (so re-recording the same property
+// escalates First → Second → Third & Final). No open violations → First Notice.
+// Identify the property by unit, else owner, else (association + address).
+export const calculateNextNoticeLevel = async ({ ownerId, unitId, associationId, address } = {}) => {
   try {
-    const { count, error } = await supabase
-      .from('violations')
-      .select('*', { count: 'exact', head: true })
-      .eq('unit_id', unitId);
+    let query = supabase.from('violations').select('stage, notice_level, status');
+    if (unitId) query = query.eq('unit_id', unitId);
+    else if (ownerId) query = query.eq('owner_id', ownerId);
+    else if (address && associationId) query = query.eq('association_id', associationId).eq('address', address);
+    else return NOTICE_LEVELS.FIRST;
 
+    const { data, error } = await query;
     if (error) throw error;
-    
-    return getNoticeLevel((count || 0) + 1);
+
+    const open = (data || []).filter(
+      (v) => !['resolved', 'closed'].includes(String(v.status || '').toLowerCase()),
+    );
+    if (open.length === 0) return NOTICE_LEVELS.FIRST;
+
+    let maxIdx = -1;
+    for (const v of open) {
+      const s = v.stage || v.notice_level || NOTICE_LEVELS.FIRST;
+      const idx = STAGE_ORDER.indexOf(s);
+      if (idx > maxIdx) maxIdx = idx;
+    }
+    if (maxIdx === -1) return NOTICE_LEVELS.FIRST;
+    return STAGE_ORDER[Math.min(maxIdx + 1, STAGE_ORDER.length - 1)];
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('Error calculating notice level:', err);
     return NOTICE_LEVELS.FIRST;
diff --git a/src/pages/ViolationsPage.tsx b/src/pages/ViolationsPage.tsx
index 1169961..f8cb9ef 100644
--- a/src/pages/ViolationsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/ViolationsPage.tsx
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ export default function ViolationsPage({ boardAssociationIds }: { boardAssociati
     let violQuery = supabase
       .from("violations")
       .select("*, units(unit_number), associations(name), owners(first_name, last_name, property_address, email, electronic_consent, status)")
-      .order("created_at", { ascending: true });
+      .order("created_at", { ascending: false });
     let assocQuery = supabase.from("associations").select("*").eq("status", "active").order("name");
     
     if (isBoardView) {