Judging Information

PLEASE READ THIS PAGE VERY CAREFULLY, PARTICULARLY THE SECTIONS DEALING WITH HIRED JUDGES. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT JUDGING REQUIREMENTS OR HIRED JUDGES, CONTACT DAVE MCGINNIS AT MCGIN029@GMAIL.COM. 
 

JUDGING REQUIREMENTS 

Each school must provide two rounds of judging for every LD debater or PF entry, and 3 rounds of judging for every policy team. 

A very limited number of hired rounds are available. These can be requested through Tabroom. 

A team's judges are obligated for one round past the last round in which their team competes. All judges are obligated through at least the first full elimination round. Elim judging obligations are not satisfied by "partial" elimination rounds.  This applies to a team's entire contingent of judges, regardless of the number of students who continue. For instance, a team whose debaters are eliminated in octofinals on Sunday night must provide judges for quarterfinals on Monday morning. 

If one or more of your judges is unavailable for one or more rounds, you must let us know during registration. If you fall below your judge obligation for any round, you may be charged the per-round missing judge fee, or your entries may be withdrawn from the tournament. 

Explanation of the Partial Elim Obligation

Judges whose teams do not clear would normally have discharged their judging obligation with the first out-round, but the only way we can run partial elims and still ensure a healthy judging pool for the first full elim is to require that all judges will stay through the first full elim, regardless. Since in all cases, the first full elim will take place on Sunday, we trust this will not inconvenience anyone.

Judges should be experienced; at a minimum, they should be comfortable with flowing in their respective division. 

Judges cannot cross divisions. Please make sure each judge is entered in only one division. 

Schools will be charged an $125.00 per round nuisance fee for each round missed by any of their judges. Make sure your judges are available and on time. 

WHY IS THE NUISANCE FEE SO HIGH?

The purpose of the nuisance fee is not to pay for a replacement judge; it is to motivate you to make sure your judges arrive for their rounds. When a judge no-shows, it makes it much more difficult to pair rounds and to provide preferable and mutual judges. Make sure your judges will be available for all rounds for which they are obligated. 

HIRING YOUR JUDGE OBLIGATION 

We will hire a limited number of judges to cover obligations for schools. Our fee is comparable to other large tournaments, but is still significant. Our goals are first, to encourage schools to provide judges, ensuring the highest quality and most diverse judging pool possible, and second, to allow us to pay our hired judges a reasonable wage. We also have to provide housing and transportation to many of our judges. Please be aware of the additional fees before you request hired judges. 

Judge coverage is not guaranteed. Request coverage through the Tabroom system, and you will be notified if it is available. 

 Judges are hired on a per-round basis. One round of judging in LD or PF debate costs $75. One round of judging in policy debate costs $95.