Tournament Conflict Policy

• Judges should preclude themselves from any competitor who they have previously coached, had a close, personal relationship with, or for any other reason the judge believes they cannot be objective towards them if assigned.

• A close, personal relationship can be defined as, but not limited to, familial relations, roommates, previous or current romantic relationships.

• Judges should preclude themselves from judging any school which they previously coached in the four years prior to the current academic year or until the last student they coached graduates, whichever is later. 

• Coaching is defined as contractual obligations to coach as determined through a school or personal affiliation.This can be paid or volunteer coaching solicited by a student or school to the specific coach, even if conducted digitally or otherwise-remotely.

• Any judge or coach should preclude herself or himself from any competitor whom they have recruited to attend their school.

• Any judge or coach should preclude herself or himself from any competitor whom they have hired for future speech and debate endeavors including but not limited to: camps, coaching contracts etc.

• Judges should preclude themselves from judging their alma mater until 6 years after they have graduated and/or worked with the team, whichever comes later.

• It is BOTH the judge’s obligation AND the coach’s obligation to

• communicate any conflicts to the tournament director prior to the start of the tournament.

• explain any conflicts when asked by the tabroom staff and/or tournament director. 

•  The tab staff will make every effort to keep conflicts as confidential as possible.

• In the event a pairing is distributed, and a judge reports a conflict after the fact, resulting in a changing of the pairing, that schools involved will be charged a fee commensurate with an uncovered judge fine for the tournament.