How to use the default list mechanism was not indicated in the DOM diagram, nor described generally, nor easily discerned from the Data Dictionary elements. I was wondering if the default list element is (a) an interposed level around the standard list element, (b) a replacement for the standard list element, or merely (c) an example of a standard list element. It was only by looking at the example schema that I could see that the general pattern is that of (a):

<someElement>

<ct:ValueListURL>myUNI</ctValueListURL>

<ct:Value>aValue</ct:Value>

</someElement>

Or

<someElement>

<someElementDefault>

<ct:valueListURL>someElement'sDefaultUNI</ctValueListURL>

<ct:Value>aValueFromDefaults</ct:Value>

</someElementDefault>

</someElement>

The descriptions of the defaulting mechanism is not handled in a uniform manner. So for example, DistributionStatus is a single entry in the Data Dictionary, whereas DistributionKind also has DistributionKindDefault and DistributionKindValueList defined. I could be wrong, but I don't think you're trying to make a distinction here.