Hey! My name is Sneha Bhale (she/her) and I did 4 years of Speech and Debate at Westwood High School. I competed in extemp as my main event both locally and nationally and I did some congress. I currently attend UT Austin.

debate events- please add me to the email chain- snehabhale21@gmail.com

Extemp- I prioritize content over fluency. I give the 1 to whoever answers the question adequately and addresses every actor mentioned. The substructure needs to be easy to follow and your impacts need to be realistic and topical. For fluency, fluency errors should not impede my ability to understand you and humor can go a long way. As for sources, please do not make them up and try to diversify your sources (use think tanks and academic journals). As for time, I don't care a whole lot but make sure it's evenly spaced out for every point. Overall, your content should make sense and should have sources, and having humor incorporated and a conversational tone will go a long way with ranks.

PF- Treat me as a flay (maybe a little more flow) judge. I will flow the round and have some exposure to PF. I'm not too fond of spreading but if you speak fast, I would like a speech doc. My flow shouldn't be all over the place and easy to follow. I think weighing is extremely important as well as the continuation of arguments in the summary and final focus. I also would prefer to be added to the email chain and will call for evidence so make sure there is no paraphrasing or twisting of information. During cross-ex, please be patient and polite. Speaks will be assigned based on clarity and overall demeanor within a round. I'm not too familiar with progressive arguments but I will evaluate them. Overall, I like a clean flow, slow speaking, weighing, roadmaps, warrants, and proper evidence protocols.

Cong- The PO should know proper procedures and keep track of precedence and recency well. The PO should also ensure voting happens fairly and keep track of everything efficiently. I will keep my precedence and recency sharts and will double-check. As for the competitors, congress is a matter of participation so make sure you pay attention. Try to pay attention the whole round and ask questions. I'm not too fond of pre-prepared speeches. Speeches that follow the debate and clash go a long way. Rehash is also a no go and I will dock points for it- please bring in new evidence and new points. If you are speaking later in the round, please bring in new evidence and use Clash rather than rephrasing previous speeches. The questioning period should be respectful to all competitors. As a personal preference, I prefer precedence and recency to be tracked online. It gets very messy when it is on paper. Overall, I like clashes in speeches, effective questioning, proper use of sources, and clear speaking.

And most importantly, have fun with it! Please let me know if I can do anything to make the round a safe place or a better experience for you. Also, feel free to ask questions/clarification on my paradigm or for any feedback after the round.

Hi! My experience is with CX, but I have judged LD quite a bit over the past few years.

As far as cx goes, I am comfortable with any style of argumentation. I'd say I am a tab judge as much as you will let me be. I appreciate it when teams are doing the work for me. For instance, spending ample time on the framework debate and focusing on comparative analysis. If you don't do the work of essentially writing the ballot for me then I default to an offensive/defensive paradigm, so don't waste time on frivolous matters.

Note on speed: I will absolutely try to listen to whatever speed you are comfortable with, but I cannot promise I will catch everything. I am not the best at speed comprehension, so if you want to guarantee that I catch things then just slow down for it.

Please be kind and respectful.

I am open to any specific questions you have before the round starts of course!

eMail: severnj@me.com

Background:

• I presently hold the role of Assistant Attorney General for Consumer Protection, Texas Office of the Attorney General. I have practiced as a litigation attorney since 2008.

• My experience encompasses a background in high school debate, adjudicating law school mock trials, and mentoring novice attorneys in the art of oral argumentation.

Philosophy and Approach:

• I perceive LD debate as an opportunity for ethical and philosophical exploration.

• I advocate for debaters to delve deeply into logical discussions pertaining to the resolution.

Framework:

• I prioritize a well-structured value-criterion framework.

• Debaters are encouraged to meticulously organize their arguments and engage in substantive clashes.

Evidence and Argumentation:

• Quality outweighs quantity; prioritize well-researched and logically sound arguments.

• Ensure that your arguments maintain logical consistency.

Delivery and Conduct:

• Effective communication is crucial; articulate your points clearly and maintain a reasonable speaking pace.

• Maintain a respectful and professional demeanor throughout the round.

Decision Criteria:

• My evaluation will be based on the strength of your frameworks and how effectively you uphold your value-criterion.

• The quality of your arguments, the credibility of your evidence, and the logical coherence of your case will significantly influence my decision.

• The depth of clash and the effectiveness of rebuttals are also pivotal. If a debater exclusively reads off a script for Affirmative and Negative Constructs, questions and responses during cross will more heavily influence my vote. Evading a question in cross will be considered nonresponsive. If you object to a question for reasons such as relevance, inappropriateness, complexity, double-barreled question, etc., provide a valid reason for refusal to respond. If you feel that your opponent was nonresponsive during cross, I encourage you to address it in rebuttal.

Judging Preferences:

• Flex: Flexibility is valued; demonstrate adaptability to your opponent’s arguments.

• Voting Criteria: Please provide me with your clear and concise judging criteria or framework at the outset of your speeches. Your criteria should outline the key standards or principles by which you believe I should evaluate the arguments in this round. This will serve as a roadmap for how you want me to make my decision. Feel free to propose your unique judging criteria for added depth.

• Terminology: Avoid employing shorthand or jargon unless you’ve provided clear definitions. Simply naming a philosophical theory absent application to your resolution does not create sufficient framework to evaluate your argument.

• Speaks: My allocation of speaker points will be determined by clarity of communication, argumentation skills, organization, and overall persuasiveness. You do not need to stand when addressing me, but I expect adherence to professional decorum. Interrupting an excessively long or non-responsive answer is permissible. No other interruptions shall be tolerated.

• Spread: Maintain a reasonable speaking pace; excessive speed can increase the chances that I miss subtle but critical point of your argument.

• Tech vs. Truth: I encourage all debaters to maintain a balanced approach that considers both technical proficiency and the truthfulness of arguments. While it’s important to excel in debate techniques and strategies for a competitive edge, I also emphasize the ethical duty to present arguments that are honest and well-supported. LD debate provides a platform for both skill development and meaningful discourse, and I believe that it is through this equilibrium that we can collectively attain the most valuable and educational outcomes in our rounds.

Kritiks: As a judge, I value debaters who scrutinize the fundamental flaws in their opponents’ arguments by exploring the underlying assumptions, values, and ideologies. I encourage critical thinking and the examination of the broader context in which arguments are presented.

Closing Thoughts:

My primary objective is to provide an impartial assessment while fostering engaging and thought-provoking debates. I look forward to a rewarding round of discourse. Let’s make this an exceptional experience!