diff --git a/docling_core/types/doc/document.py b/docling_core/types/doc/document.py
index 68ac36cb..8192a59e 100644
--- a/docling_core/types/doc/document.py
+++ b/docling_core/types/doc/document.py
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ def validate_mimetype(cls, v):
 class RefItem(BaseModel):
     """RefItem."""
 
-    cref: str = Field(alias="$ref", pattern=_JSON_POINTER_REGEX)
+    cref: Annotated[str, Field(alias="$ref", pattern=_JSON_POINTER_REGEX)]
 
     # This method makes RefItem compatible with DocItem
     def get_ref(self):
@@ -4538,6 +4538,43 @@ def _normalize_references(self) -> None:
         self.form_items = item_lists["form_items"]  # type: ignore
         self.body = new_body
 
+    def _validate_rules(self):
+        def validate_list_group(doc: DoclingDocument, item: ListGroup):
+            for ref in item.children:
+                child = ref.resolve(doc)
+                if not isinstance(child, ListItem):
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        f"ListGroup {item.self_ref} contains non-ListItem {child.self_ref} ({child.label=})"
+                    )
+
+        def validate_list_item(doc: DoclingDocument, item: ListItem):
+            if item.parent is None:
+                raise ValueError(f"ListItem {item.self_ref} has no parent")
+            if not isinstance(item.parent.resolve(doc), ListGroup):
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"ListItem {item.self_ref} has non-ListGroup parent: {item.parent.cref}"
+                )
+
+        def validate_group(doc: DoclingDocument, item: GroupItem):
+            if (
+                item.parent and not item.children
+            ):  # tolerate empty body, but not other groups
+                raise ValueError(f"Group {item.self_ref} has no children")
+
+        for item, _ in self.iterate_items(
+            with_groups=True,
+            traverse_pictures=True,
+            included_content_layers={c for c in ContentLayer},
+        ):
+            if isinstance(item, ListGroup):
+                validate_list_group(self, item)
+
+            elif isinstance(item, GroupItem):
+                validate_group(self, item)
+
+            elif isinstance(item, ListItem):
+                validate_list_item(self, item)
+
 
 # deprecated aliases (kept for backwards compatibility):
 BasePictureData = BaseAnnotation
diff --git a/test/test_docling_doc.py b/test/test_docling_doc.py
index a7ca9abd..57f40e65 100644
--- a/test/test_docling_doc.py
+++ b/test/test_docling_doc.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from collections import deque
 from copy import deepcopy
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import List, Optional
+from typing import List, Optional, Union
 from unittest.mock import Mock
 
 import pytest
@@ -1659,3 +1659,92 @@ def test_misplaced_list_items():
     else:
         exp_doc = DoclingDocument.load_from_yaml(exp_file)
         assert doc == exp_doc
+
+
+def test_list_group_with_list_items():
+    good_doc = DoclingDocument(name="")
+    l1 = good_doc.add_list_group()
+    good_doc.add_list_item(text="ListItem 1", parent=l1)
+    good_doc.add_list_item(text="ListItem 2", parent=l1)
+
+    good_doc._validate_rules()
+
+
+def test_list_group_with_non_list_items():
+    bad_doc = DoclingDocument(name="")
+    l1 = bad_doc.add_list_group()
+    bad_doc.add_list_item(text="ListItem 1", parent=l1)
+    bad_doc.add_text(
+        text="non-ListItem in ListGroup", label=DocItemLabel.TEXT, parent=l1
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        bad_doc._validate_rules()
+
+
+def test_list_item_outside_list_group():
+    def unsafe_add_list_item(
+        doc: DoclingDocument,
+        text: str,
+        enumerated: bool = False,
+        marker: Optional[str] = None,
+        orig: Optional[str] = None,
+        prov: Optional[ProvenanceItem] = None,
+        parent: Optional[NodeItem] = None,
+        content_layer: Optional[ContentLayer] = None,
+        formatting: Optional[Formatting] = None,
+        hyperlink: Optional[Union[AnyUrl, Path]] = None,
+    ):
+        if not parent:
+            parent = doc.body
+
+        if not orig:
+            orig = text
+
+        text_index = len(doc.texts)
+        cref = f"#/texts/{text_index}"
+        list_item = ListItem(
+            text=text,
+            orig=orig,
+            self_ref=cref,
+            parent=parent.get_ref(),
+            enumerated=enumerated,
+            marker=marker or "",
+            formatting=formatting,
+            hyperlink=hyperlink,
+        )
+        if prov:
+            list_item.prov.append(prov)
+        if content_layer:
+            list_item.content_layer = content_layer
+
+        doc.texts.append(list_item)
+        parent.children.append(RefItem(cref=cref))
+
+        return list_item
+
+    bad_doc = DoclingDocument(name="")
+    unsafe_add_list_item(doc=bad_doc, text="ListItem outside ListGroup")
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        bad_doc._validate_rules()
+
+
+def test_list_item_inside_list_group():
+    doc = DoclingDocument(name="")
+    l1 = doc.add_list_group()
+    doc.add_list_item(text="ListItem inside ListGroup", parent=l1)
+    doc._validate_rules()
+
+
+def test_group_with_children():
+    good_doc = DoclingDocument(name="")
+    grp = good_doc.add_group()
+    good_doc.add_text(text="Text in group", label=DocItemLabel.TEXT, parent=grp)
+    good_doc._validate_rules()
+
+
+def test_group_without_children():
+    bad_doc = DoclingDocument(name="")
+    bad_doc.add_group()
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        bad_doc._validate_rules()