diff --git a/atlas/static/atlas/js/markup_inserter.js b/atlas/static/atlas/js/markup_inserter.js
index 3e4cbb4f..54248101 100644
--- a/atlas/static/atlas/js/markup_inserter.js
+++ b/atlas/static/atlas/js/markup_inserter.js
@@ -39,9 +39,8 @@
         toolbar.querySelectorAll('.markup-insert-button').forEach(function(btn){
             btn.addEventListener('click', function(){
                 const t = btn.dataset.type;
-                // determine a sensible default case id from the DOM context
-                const detected = detectCurrentCase(textarea);
-                const detectedCase = detected && detected.id ? detected.id : null;
+                // Respect explicit dataset provided by the widget or page meta only
+                var detectedCase = textarea && textarea.dataset && textarea.dataset.currentCase ? textarea.dataset.currentCase : (document.getElementById('current-case-meta') ? document.getElementById('current-case-meta').getAttribute('data-current-case') : null);
                 if(t === 'case'){
                     openCasePicker(textarea);
                 } else if(t === 'finding'){
@@ -198,25 +197,9 @@
             Object.assign(overlay.style, {position:'fixed',left:0,top:0,right:0,bottom:0,background:'rgba(0,0,0,0.4)',zIndex:1050,display:'flex',alignItems:'center',justifyContent:'center'});
             const dialog = document.createElement('div'); dialog.className='markup-case-picker-dialog card'; Object.assign(dialog.style, {width:'min(900px,95%)',maxHeight:'80vh',overflow:'auto'});
             const header = document.createElement('div'); header.className='card-header d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center'; header.innerHTML = '<strong>Select finding</strong>';
-            var detectedF = detectCurrentCase(textarea) || {};
+            // Determine case filter from explicit dataset on the textarea or provided caseId
+            var detectedF = (textarea && textarea.dataset && textarea.dataset.currentCase) ? { id: textarea.dataset.currentCase, title: textarea.dataset.currentCaseTitle } : {};
             var currentCaseF = caseId || detectedF.id || null;
-            var currentTitleF = detectedF.title || null;
-            var badgeContainerF = document.createElement('div'); badgeContainerF.className = 'd-flex align-items-center';
-            var badgeTextF = document.createElement('span'); badgeTextF.className = 'badge bg-secondary ms-2'; badgeTextF.style.marginLeft='8px';
-            function updateBadgeF(){
-                if(currentCaseF){
-                    badgeTextF.textContent = 'Filtering: ' + (currentTitleF || ('#'+currentCaseF));
-                    removeBtnF.style.display = '';
-                } else {
-                    badgeTextF.textContent = 'No case filter';
-                    removeBtnF.style.display = 'none';
-                }
-            }
-            var removeBtnF = document.createElement('button'); removeBtnF.type='button'; removeBtnF.className='btn btn-sm btn-outline-light ms-2'; removeBtnF.style.padding='0 .4rem'; removeBtnF.textContent='✕';
-            removeBtnF.addEventListener('click', function(){ currentCaseF = null; currentTitleF = null; updateBadgeF(); fetchInitialFindings(); });
-            badgeContainerF.appendChild(badgeTextF); badgeContainerF.appendChild(removeBtnF);
-            updateBadgeF();
-            header.appendChild(badgeContainerF);
             const closeBtn = document.createElement('button'); closeBtn.type='button'; closeBtn.className='btn-close'; closeBtn.setAttribute('aria-label','Close'); closeBtn.addEventListener('click', function(){ document.body.removeChild(overlay); }); header.appendChild(closeBtn);
             const body = document.createElement('div'); body.className='card-body';
             const input = document.createElement('input'); input.type='search'; input.className='form-control mb-2'; input.placeholder='Type to search findings...';
@@ -242,25 +225,9 @@
             const dialog = document.createElement('div'); dialog.className='markup-case-picker-dialog card'; Object.assign(dialog.style, {width:'min(900px,95%)',maxHeight:'80vh',overflow:'auto'});
             const header = document.createElement('div'); header.className='card-header d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center';
             header.innerHTML = '<strong>Select display set</strong>';
-            var detectedD = detectCurrentCase(textarea) || {};
+            // Determine case filter from explicit dataset on the textarea or provided caseId
+            var detectedD = (textarea && textarea.dataset && textarea.dataset.currentCase) ? { id: textarea.dataset.currentCase, title: textarea.dataset.currentCaseTitle } : {};
             var currentCaseD = caseId || detectedD.id || null;
-            var currentTitleD = detectedD.title || null;
-            var badgeContainerD = document.createElement('div'); badgeContainerD.className = 'd-flex align-items-center';
-            var badgeTextD = document.createElement('span'); badgeTextD.className = 'badge bg-secondary ms-2'; badgeTextD.style.marginLeft='8px';
-            function updateBadgeD(){
-                if(currentCaseD){
-                    badgeTextD.textContent = 'Filtering: ' + (currentTitleD || ('#'+currentCaseD));
-                    removeBtnD.style.display = '';
-                } else {
-                    badgeTextD.textContent = 'No case filter';
-                    removeBtnD.style.display = 'none';
-                }
-            }
-            var removeBtnD = document.createElement('button'); removeBtnD.type='button'; removeBtnD.className='btn btn-sm btn-outline-light ms-2'; removeBtnD.style.padding='0 .4rem'; removeBtnD.textContent='✕';
-            removeBtnD.addEventListener('click', function(){ currentCaseD = null; currentTitleD = null; updateBadgeD(); fetchInitialDisplaysets(); });
-            badgeContainerD.appendChild(badgeTextD); badgeContainerD.appendChild(removeBtnD);
-            updateBadgeD();
-            header.appendChild(badgeContainerD);
             const closeBtn = document.createElement('button'); closeBtn.type='button'; closeBtn.className='btn-close'; closeBtn.setAttribute('aria-label','Close'); closeBtn.addEventListener('click', function(){ document.body.removeChild(overlay); }); header.appendChild(closeBtn);
             const body = document.createElement('div'); body.className='card-body';
             const input = document.createElement('input'); input.type='search'; input.className='form-control mb-2'; input.placeholder='Type to search display sets...';
@@ -277,58 +244,7 @@
         }catch(err){ console.error('openDisplaysetPicker error', err); }
     }
 
-    function detectCurrentCase(contextEl){
-        try{
-            var result = { id: null, title: null };
-            var root = contextEl && contextEl.closest ? contextEl.closest('form,body') : document;
-            var inp = root.querySelector('input[name="case"]') || root.querySelector('input[name="case_id"]') || document.querySelector('input[name="case"]') || document.querySelector('input[name="case_id"]');
-            if(inp && inp.value) result.id = inp.value;
-
-            // Look for explicit metadata element
-            var meta = document.querySelector('#current-case-meta') || document.querySelector('[data-current-case]');
-            if(meta){
-                if(!result.id) result.id = meta.getAttribute('data-current-case') || meta.getAttribute('data-case-pk') || meta.value || null;
-                result.title = meta.getAttribute('data-current-case-title') || meta.getAttribute('data-case-title') || null;
-            }
-
-            // Fallback: look for ancestor attributes
-            if(!result.id){
-                var anc = contextEl;
-                while(anc){
-                    if(anc.getAttribute && (anc.getAttribute('data-case-pk') || anc.getAttribute('data-case-id'))){
-                        result.id = anc.getAttribute('data-case-pk') || anc.getAttribute('data-case-id');
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    anc = anc.parentElement;
-                }
-            }
-
-            // Fallback: check URL query string for ?case= or ?case_id=
-            if(!result.id){
-                try{
-                    var params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
-                    if(params.has('case')) result.id = params.get('case');
-                    else if(params.has('case_id')) result.id = params.get('case_id');
-                }catch(e){}
-            }
-
-            // Fallback: try to parse a /case/<id>/ segment from the pathname
-            if(!result.id){
-                try{
-                    var m = window.location.pathname.match(/\/case\/(\d+)(?:\/|$)/i) || window.location.pathname.match(/\/atlas\/case\/(\d+)(?:\/|$)/i);
-                    if(m) result.id = m[1];
-                }catch(e){}
-            }
-
-            // If there's an H2 like 'Display Sets: TITLE' try to use it as title
-            if(!result.title){
-                var h2 = document.querySelector('h2');
-                if(h2 && /Display Sets:/i.test(h2.textContent || '')){
-                    result.title = (h2.textContent || '').replace(/Display Sets:\s*/i, '').trim();
-                }
-            }
-            return result;
-        }catch(e){ return { id: null, title: null }; }
-    }
+    // Simplified detection: rely on explicit dataset attributes set by the widget
+    // When a textarea includes `data-current-case` and optionally `data-current-case-title`, that will be used as the default filter.
 
 })(window);
diff --git a/atlas/templates/atlas/partials/displayset_search_widget.html b/atlas/templates/atlas/partials/displayset_search_widget.html
index bc92889d..5267ad86 100644
--- a/atlas/templates/atlas/partials/displayset_search_widget.html
+++ b/atlas/templates/atlas/partials/displayset_search_widget.html
@@ -13,6 +13,13 @@
            hx-trigger="keyup changed delay:400ms"
            autocomplete="off">
 
+    <div class="mt-1">
+      <span id="{{ input_id }}-case-badge" class="badge bg-secondary" style="display: {% if case %}inline-block{% else %}none{% endif %};">
+        {% if case %}Filtering: {{ case.title|escape }}{% endif %}
+      </span>
+      <button type="button" id="{{ input_id }}-clear-case" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary ms-2" style="display: {% if case %}inline-block{% else %}none{% endif %};">✕</button>
+    </div>
+
     <div id="{{ target_id }}" class="mt-2">
       {% include 'atlas/partials/_displayset_search_results.html' with displaysets=displaysets case=case %}
     </div>
@@ -46,3 +53,62 @@
     } catch(e) { console.error('displayset search widget init error', e); }
   })();
 </script>
+
+<script>
+  (function(){
+    try{
+      var input = document.getElementById('{{ input_id|default:"displayset-search-input" }}');
+      if(!input) return;
+
+      // Ensure a current-case-meta element exists
+      var meta = document.getElementById('current-case-meta');
+      if(!meta){
+        meta = document.createElement('div');
+        meta.id = 'current-case-meta';
+        meta.style.display = 'none';
+        var container = document.currentScript && document.currentScript.parentNode ? document.currentScript.parentNode : document.body;
+        container.insertBefore(meta, container.firstChild);
+      }
+
+      // Populate meta from server-rendered attributes if present (existing behavior)
+      // If not present, do not attempt further heuristics here; widget owns filter logic.
+
+      // If meta has case info, push it into the input dataset and to a nearby textarea so the inserter can read it
+      var casePk = meta.getAttribute('data-current-case');
+      var caseTitle = meta.getAttribute('data-current-case-title') || '';
+      var badge = document.getElementById('{{ input_id }}-case-badge');
+      var clearBtn = document.getElementById('{{ input_id }}-clear-case');
+
+      function applyCaseToInputs(pk, title){
+        if(pk){
+          input.dataset.currentCase = pk;
+          if(title) input.dataset.currentCaseTitle = title;
+          // find a nearby textarea (same form or container)
+          var container = input.closest('form,div') || document.body;
+          var ta = container.querySelector('textarea');
+          if(ta){ ta.dataset.currentCase = pk; if(title) ta.dataset.currentCaseTitle = title; }
+          if(badge){ badge.style.display = 'inline-block'; badge.textContent = 'Filtering: ' + (title || ('#' + pk)); }
+          if(clearBtn) clearBtn.style.display = 'inline-block';
+        } else {
+          delete input.dataset.currentCase; delete input.dataset.currentCaseTitle;
+          var container = input.closest('form,div') || document.body;
+          var ta = container.querySelector('textarea');
+          if(ta){ delete ta.dataset.currentCase; delete ta.dataset.currentCaseTitle; }
+          if(badge) badge.style.display = 'none';
+          if(clearBtn) clearBtn.style.display = 'none';
+        }
+      }
+
+      if(casePk){ applyCaseToInputs(casePk, caseTitle); }
+
+      if(clearBtn){ clearBtn.addEventListener('click', function(){
+        // clear widget-level filter state and refresh results without case
+        applyCaseToInputs(null, null);
+        // remove any hx-vals forcing a case param
+        try{ input.removeAttribute('hx-vals'); }catch(e){}
+        input.dispatchEvent(new Event('input'));
+      }); }
+
+    }catch(e){ console.error('displayset widget meta init error', e); }
+  })();
+</script>
diff --git a/atlas/templates/atlas/partials/finding_search_widget.html b/atlas/templates/atlas/partials/finding_search_widget.html
index 2e34d50d..2eabf165 100644
--- a/atlas/templates/atlas/partials/finding_search_widget.html
+++ b/atlas/templates/atlas/partials/finding_search_widget.html
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@
            hx-trigger="keyup changed delay:400ms"
            autocomplete="off">
 
+    <div class="mt-1">
+      <span id="{{ input_id }}-case-badge" class="badge bg-secondary" style="display: {% if case %}inline-block{% else %}none{% endif %};">
+        {% if case %}Filtering: {{ case.title|escape }}{% endif %}
+      </span>
+      <button type="button" id="{{ input_id }}-clear-case" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary ms-2" style="display: {% if case %}inline-block{% else %}none{% endif %};">✕</button>
+    </div>
+
     <div id="{{ target_id }}" class="mt-2">
       {% include 'atlas/partials/_finding_search_results.html' with findings=findings case=case %}
     </div>
@@ -22,12 +29,45 @@
       var input = document.getElementById('{{ input_id|default:"finding-search-input" }}');
       if (!input) return;
       var timer = null;
+
+      // If server provided a case via inclusion, ensure widget sets dataset and nearby textarea dataset
+      var meta = document.getElementById('current-case-meta');
+      var casePk = meta ? meta.getAttribute('data-current-case') : null;
+      var caseTitle = meta ? meta.getAttribute('data-current-case-title') : '';
+      var badge = document.getElementById('{{ input_id }}-case-badge');
+      var clearBtn = document.getElementById('{{ input_id }}-clear-case');
+
+      function applyCaseToInputs(pk, title){
+        if(pk){
+          input.dataset.currentCase = pk;
+          if(title) input.dataset.currentCaseTitle = title;
+          var container = input.closest('form,div') || document.body;
+          var ta = container.querySelector('textarea');
+          if(ta){ ta.dataset.currentCase = pk; if(title) ta.dataset.currentCaseTitle = title; }
+          if(badge){ badge.style.display = 'inline-block'; badge.textContent = 'Filtering: ' + (title || ('#' + pk)); }
+          if(clearBtn) clearBtn.style.display = 'inline-block';
+        } else {
+          delete input.dataset.currentCase; delete input.dataset.currentCaseTitle;
+          var container = input.closest('form,div') || document.body;
+          var ta = container.querySelector('textarea');
+          if(ta){ delete ta.dataset.currentCase; delete ta.dataset.currentCaseTitle; }
+          if(badge) badge.style.display = 'none';
+          if(clearBtn) clearBtn.style.display = 'none';
+        }
+      }
+
+      if(casePk){ applyCaseToInputs(casePk, caseTitle); }
+
+      if(clearBtn){ clearBtn.addEventListener('click', function(){ applyCaseToInputs(null, null); try{ input.removeAttribute('hx-vals'); }catch(e){}; input.dispatchEvent(new Event('input')); }); }
+
       input.addEventListener('input', function(){
         if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
         timer = setTimeout(function(){
           try {
             var q = encodeURIComponent(input.value || '');
-            var url = "{% url 'atlas:finding_search' %}?q=" + q + ({% if case %} "&case={{ case.pk }}" {% else %} '' {% endif %});
+            // Respect dataset-based case filter if present
+            var caseParam = input.dataset.currentCase ? '&case=' + encodeURIComponent(input.dataset.currentCase) : '';
+            var url = "{% url 'atlas:finding_search' %}?q=" + q + caseParam;
             var target = '#{{ target_id|default:"finding-search-results" }}';
             if (window.htmx && typeof window.htmx.ajax === 'function') {
               window.htmx.ajax('GET', url, { target: target, swap: 'innerHTML' });