Fix: Implement comprehensive sorting fixes

src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts

@@ -255,19 +255,33 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(config: ModerationQueueManagerConfig):
           uiField: sort.field,
           dbColumn: sortColumn,
           direction: sort.direction,
-          ascending: sortAscending
+          ascending: sortAscending,
+          sortObjectRef: sort,
+          timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
+        });
+
+        // Log what localStorage has
+        console.log('[Query] Sort config persistence:', {
+          localStorageValue: localStorage.getItem('moderationQueue_sortConfig'),
+          parsedValue: (() => {
+            try {
+              return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('moderationQueue_sortConfig') || 'null');
+            } catch {
+              return null;
+            }
+          })(),
         });
 
         submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.order(sortColumn, { ascending: sortAscending });
 
-        // Secondary sort by created_at for consistency when primary sort has ties
-        if (sortColumn !== 'created_at') {
-          submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.order('created_at', { ascending: true });
+        // CRITICAL: Verify the query builder chain is working
+        if (!submissionsQuery.order) {
+          console.error('❌ [CRITICAL] Query builder broken - order method not found!');
+          throw new Error('Supabase query builder is not functioning correctly');
         }
 
-        // Validate sort was applied
-        if (!sortColumn) {
-          console.error('❌ [Query] Sort column is undefined! Using fallback.');
+        // Secondary sort by created_at for consistency when primary sort has ties
+        if (sortColumn !== 'created_at') {
           submissionsQuery = submissionsQuery.order('created_at', { ascending: true });
         }
 
@@ -939,8 +953,11 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(config: ModerationQueueManagerConfig):
   // Refetch when sort configuration changes
   useEffect(() => {
     console.log('🔄 [Sort Changed]', {
-      field: sort.config.field,
-      direction: sort.config.direction,
+      field: sort.field,
+      direction: sort.direction,
+      configField: sort.config.field,
+      configDirection: sort.config.direction,
+      match: sort.field === sort.config.field && sort.direction === sort.config.direction,
       timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
     });
 
@@ -956,10 +973,17 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(config: ModerationQueueManagerConfig):
       return;
     }
 
-    // Trigger refetch with new sort
+    // CRITICAL: Ensure we're using the latest fetchItems
     if (fetchItemsRef.current) {
-      console.log('✅ Triggering refetch due to sort change');
+      console.log('✅ Triggering refetch due to sort change', {
+        willUseField: sort.field,
+        willUseDirection: sort.direction
+      });
+      
+      // Force immediate refetch
       fetchItemsRef.current(false);
+    } else {
+      console.error('❌ fetchItemsRef.current is null - cannot refetch!');
     }
   }, [sort.field, sort.direction]);
 

src/hooks/moderation/useModerationSort.ts

@@ -87,9 +87,24 @@ export function useModerationSort(config: ModerationSortConfig = {}): Moderation
 
   // Load persisted or use initial/default config
   const [sortConfig, setSortConfig] = useState<SortConfig>(() => {
-    if (initialConfig) return initialConfig;
-    if (persist) return loadSortConfig(storageKey);
-    return getDefaultSortConfig();
+    // Priority order:
+    // 1. Saved config from localStorage (if persist enabled and exists)
+    // 2. initialConfig prop (if provided)
+    // 3. Global default (fallback)
+    
+    if (persist) {
+      try {
+        const saved = localStorage.getItem(storageKey);
+        if (saved) {
+          return JSON.parse(saved);
+        }
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error('Failed to load sort config:', error);
+      }
+    }
+    
+    // Use initialConfig if provided, otherwise use global default
+    return initialConfig || getDefaultSortConfig();
   });
 
   // Persist changes

src/lib/moderation/sorting.ts

@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ export function sortModerationItems(
 export function getDefaultSortConfig(): SortConfig {
   return {
     field: 'created_at',
-    direction: 'asc',
+    direction: 'desc', // Newest first by default
   };
 }