diff --git a/src/awkward/_do/meta.py b/src/awkward/_do/meta.py
index 09ddca9dfb..272c9e29ad 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_do/meta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_do/meta.py
@@ -3,67 +3,13 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from awkward._nplikes.numpy_like import NumpyMetadata
-from awkward._typing import TYPE_CHECKING, TypeGuard, TypeVar
+from awkward._typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from awkward._meta.bitmaskedmeta import BitMaskedMeta
-    from awkward._meta.bytemaskedmeta import ByteMaskedMeta
-    from awkward._meta.indexedmeta import IndexedMeta
-    from awkward._meta.indexedoptionmeta import IndexedOptionMeta
-    from awkward._meta.listmeta import ListMeta
-    from awkward._meta.listoffsetmeta import ListOffsetMeta
     from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
-    from awkward._meta.numpymeta import NumpyMeta
-    from awkward._meta.recordmeta import RecordMeta
-    from awkward._meta.regularmeta import RegularMeta
-    from awkward._meta.unionmeta import UnionMeta
-    from awkward._meta.unmaskedmeta import UnmaskedMeta
 
 np = NumpyMetadata.instance()
 
 
-T = TypeVar("T", bound="Meta")
-
-
-def is_option(
-    meta: Meta
-) -> TypeGuard[IndexedOptionMeta | BitMaskedMeta | ByteMaskedMeta | UnmaskedMeta]:
-    return meta.is_option
-
-
-def is_list(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RegularMeta | ListOffsetMeta | ListMeta]:
-    return meta.is_list
-
-
-def is_numpy(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[NumpyMeta]:
-    return meta.is_numpy
-
-
-def is_regular(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RegularMeta]:
-    return meta.is_regular
-
-
-def is_union(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[UnionMeta]:
-    return meta.is_union
-
-
-def is_record(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RecordMeta]:
-    return meta.is_record
-
-
-def is_indexed(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[IndexedOptionMeta, IndexedMeta]:
-    return meta.is_indexed
-
-
-# FIXME: narrow this to have `is_tuple` be a const True
-def is_record_tuple(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RecordMeta]:
-    return meta.is_record and meta.is_tuple
-
-
-# FIXME: narrow this to have `is_tuple` be a const False
-def is_record_record(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RecordMeta]:
-    return meta.is_record and not meta.is_tuple
-
-
 def mergeable(one: Meta, two: Meta, mergebool: bool = True) -> bool:
     return one._mergeable_next(two, mergebool=mergebool)
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/bitmaskedmeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/bitmaskedmeta.py
index 55e70ef3a4..fc8cb6dc25 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/bitmaskedmeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/bitmaskedmeta.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import is_indexed, is_option
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
+from awkward._meta.meta import Meta, is_indexed, is_option
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
 from awkward._typing import JSONSerializable
 
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/bytemaskedmeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/bytemaskedmeta.py
index 6945ddd8fd..e343b31b1b 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/bytemaskedmeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/bytemaskedmeta.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import is_indexed, is_option
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
+from awkward._meta.meta import Meta, is_indexed, is_option
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
 from awkward._typing import JSONSerializable
 
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/indexedmeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/indexedmeta.py
index cf5f0aac48..e2ad858921 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/indexedmeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/indexedmeta.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import is_indexed, is_option
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
+from awkward._meta.meta import Meta, is_indexed, is_option
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
 from awkward._typing import JSONSerializable
 
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/indexedoptionmeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/indexedoptionmeta.py
index 5891a36e91..3834cbdbdd 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/indexedoptionmeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/indexedoptionmeta.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import is_indexed, is_option
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
+from awkward._meta.meta import Meta, is_indexed, is_option
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
 from awkward._typing import JSONSerializable
 
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/listmeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/listmeta.py
index 887f6b162a..cec5ba8dfe 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/listmeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/listmeta.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import is_indexed, is_list, is_numpy, is_option
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
+from awkward._meta.meta import Meta, is_indexed, is_list, is_numpy, is_option
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
 from awkward._typing import JSONSerializable
 
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/listoffsetmeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/listoffsetmeta.py
index f82918e1c6..af77d974c7 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/listoffsetmeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/listoffsetmeta.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import is_indexed, is_list, is_numpy, is_option
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
+from awkward._meta.meta import Meta, is_indexed, is_list, is_numpy, is_option
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
 from awkward._typing import JSONSerializable
 
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/meta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/meta.py
index 31ddb6b7fc..c2f399fad0 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/meta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/meta.py
@@ -3,13 +3,68 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from awkward._typing import (
+    TYPE_CHECKING,
     ClassVar,
     JSONMapping,
     JSONSerializable,
     Self,
+    TypeGuard,
 )
 from awkward._util import UNSET, Sentinel
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from awkward._meta.bitmaskedmeta import BitMaskedMeta
+    from awkward._meta.bytemaskedmeta import ByteMaskedMeta
+    from awkward._meta.indexedmeta import IndexedMeta
+    from awkward._meta.indexedoptionmeta import IndexedOptionMeta
+    from awkward._meta.listmeta import ListMeta
+    from awkward._meta.listoffsetmeta import ListOffsetMeta
+    from awkward._meta.numpymeta import NumpyMeta
+    from awkward._meta.recordmeta import RecordMeta
+    from awkward._meta.regularmeta import RegularMeta
+    from awkward._meta.unionmeta import UnionMeta
+    from awkward._meta.unmaskedmeta import UnmaskedMeta
+
+
+def is_option(
+    meta: Meta
+) -> TypeGuard[IndexedOptionMeta | BitMaskedMeta | ByteMaskedMeta | UnmaskedMeta]:
+    return meta.is_option
+
+
+def is_list(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RegularMeta | ListOffsetMeta | ListMeta]:
+    return meta.is_list
+
+
+def is_numpy(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[NumpyMeta]:
+    return meta.is_numpy
+
+
+def is_regular(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RegularMeta]:
+    return meta.is_regular
+
+
+def is_union(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[UnionMeta]:
+    return meta.is_union
+
+
+def is_record(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RecordMeta]:
+    return meta.is_record
+
+
+def is_indexed(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[IndexedOptionMeta | IndexedMeta]:
+    return meta.is_indexed
+
+
+# FIXME: narrow this to have `is_tuple` be a const True
+def is_record_tuple(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RecordMeta]:
+    return meta.is_record and meta.is_tuple
+
+
+# FIXME: narrow this to have `is_tuple` be a const False
+def is_record_record(meta: Meta) -> TypeGuard[RecordMeta]:
+    return meta.is_record and not meta.is_tuple
+
 
 class Meta:
     is_numpy: ClassVar[bool] = False
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/numpymeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/numpymeta.py
index 0fa674b3b5..7ac9e93bb3 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/numpymeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/numpymeta.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import is_indexed, is_numpy, is_option
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
+from awkward._meta.meta import Meta, is_indexed, is_numpy, is_option
 from awkward._nplikes.numpy_like import NumpyMetadata
 from awkward._nplikes.shape import ShapeItem
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/recordmeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/recordmeta.py
index 61cad64ed5..a43b311168 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/recordmeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/recordmeta.py
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import (
+from awkward._meta.meta import (
+    Meta,
     is_indexed,
     is_option,
     is_record,
     is_record_record,
     is_record_tuple,
 )
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
 from awkward._regularize import is_integer
 from awkward._typing import JSONSerializable
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/regularmeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/regularmeta.py
index 2b91d46d4e..5962adeb33 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/regularmeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/regularmeta.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import is_indexed, is_list, is_numpy, is_option
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
+from awkward._meta.meta import Meta, is_indexed, is_list, is_numpy, is_option
 from awkward._nplikes.shape import ShapeItem
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
 from awkward._typing import JSONSerializable
diff --git a/src/awkward/_meta/unmaskedmeta.py b/src/awkward/_meta/unmaskedmeta.py
index d6a03379c3..65c41c123f 100644
--- a/src/awkward/_meta/unmaskedmeta.py
+++ b/src/awkward/_meta/unmaskedmeta.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from awkward._do.meta import is_indexed, is_option
-from awkward._meta.meta import Meta
+from awkward._meta.meta import Meta, is_indexed, is_option
 from awkward._parameters import type_parameters_equal
 from awkward._typing import JSONSerializable
 
diff --git a/src/awkward/contents/listarray.py b/src/awkward/contents/listarray.py
index cee165cf83..b7f04eedc9 100644
--- a/src/awkward/contents/listarray.py
+++ b/src/awkward/contents/listarray.py
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@
     Any,
     Callable,
     Final,
+    ImplementsReadOnlyProperty,
     Self,
     SupportsIndex,
     final,
-ImplementsReadOnlyProperty
 )
 from awkward._util import UNSET
 from awkward.contents.content import (