A little bit about me: I coach for Millburn High School in New Jersey. I competed on the circuit in high school and college.

I do my very best to be as non-interventionist as possible, but I know some students like reading judge's paradigms to get a better sense of what they're thinking. I hope that the below is helpful :).

Overall: You can be nice and a good debater. :)

Here are some things to consider if I'm your Parliamentarian/ Judge in Congressional Debate:

- I am a sucker for a well-executed authorship/ sponsorship, so please don't be afraid to give the first speech! Just because you don't have refutation doesn't mean it isn't a good speech. I will be more inclined to give you a better speech score if you stand up and give the speech when no one is willing to do so because it shows preparedness.

- Bouncing off of the above bullet point, two things I really dislike while at national circuit tournaments are having no one stand up to give the earlier speeches (particularly in out rounds) and one-sided debate. You should be prepared to speak on either side of the legislation. You're there to debate, so debate. I'm much more inclined to rank you higher if you flip and have fluency breaks than if you're the fourth aff in a row.

- Asking the same question over and over to different speakers isn't particularly impressive to me (only in extreme circumstances should this ever be done). Make sure that you are catering the questions to the actual arguments from the speech and not asking generic questions that could be asked of anyone.

- Make my job easy as the judge. I will not make any links for you; you need to make the links yourself.

- Warrants are so important! Don't forget them!

- If you are giving one of the final speeches on a piece of legislation, I expect you to weigh the arguments and impacts that we have heard throughout the debate. Unless there has been a gross negligence in not bringing up a particular argument that you think is revolutionary and changes the debate entirely, you shouldn't really be bringing up new arguments at this point. There are, of course, situations where this may be necessary, but this is the general rule of thumb. Use your best judgment :).

- Please do your best to not read off of your pad. Engage with the audience/ judges, and don't feel as though you have to have something written down verbatim. I'm not expecting a speech to be completely flawless when you are delivering it extemporaneously. I historically score speeches higher if delivered extemporaneously and have a couple of minor fluency lapses than a speech read off of a sheet of paper with perfect fluency.

- Be active in the chamber! Remember, the judges are not ranking students based upon who is giving the best speeches, but who are the best legislators overall. This combines a myriad of factors, including speeches, questioning, overall activity, leadership in the chamber, decorum, and active listening (i.e. not practicing your speech while others are speaking, paying attention, etc.) Keep this in mind before going into a session.

- Please please please don't speak over the top of one another. This being said, that doesn't mean you have a right to monopolize the questioning time, but there is a nice way to cut someone off if they're going too long. Use your best judgment. Don't cut someone off two seconds after they start answering your question.

- I rank based on who I think are the overall best legislators in the chamber. This is a combination of the quality of speeches, questioning, command of parliamentary procedure, preparedness, and overall leadership and decorum in the chamber.

Let me know if you have any questions! :)

Here are some things to consider if I'm your judge in Public Forum:

- Please add me to the email chain if you have one: jordybarry@gmail.com

- I am really open to hearing almost any type of argument (except K's, please don't run K's in PF), but I wouldn’t consider myself a super techy judge. Do your thing, be clear, and enjoy yourselves!

- Please debate the resolution. It was written for a reason.

- It's important to me that you maintain clarity throughout the round. In addition, please don’t spread. I don’t have policy/ LD judging experience and probably won’t catch everything. If you get too fast/ to spreading speed I’ll say clear once, and if it’s still too fast/ you start spreading again, I’ll stop typing to indicate that I’m not getting what you’re saying on my flow.

- Take advantage of your final focus. Tell me why I should vote for you, don't solely focus on defensive arguments.

- Maintain organization throughout the round - your speeches should tell me what exact argument you are referring to in the round. Signposting is key! A messy debate is a poorly executed debate.

- I don't weigh one particular type of argument over another. I vote solely based on the flow, and will not impose my pre-existing beliefs and convictions on you (unless you're being racist, sexist, homophobic, antisemitic, or xenophobic). It's your show, not mine!

- Please please please don't speak over the top of one another. This being said, that doesn't mean you have a right to monopolize the questioning time, but there is a nice way to cut someone off if they're going too long. Use your best judgment. Don't cut someone off two seconds after they start answering your question.

- Be polite!

- Make my job easy. I should not have to (and will not) make any links for you. You have to make the link yourselves. There should be a clear connection to your impacts.

- Weighing impacts is critical to your success, so please do it!

Any questions, please feel free to ask! Have fun and good luck!

Policy Debate Paradigm:

Overview:

The things you are probably looking for:

Speed: I’m fine with whatever you are comfortable with--no need to try to impress me.

Performance: I do not mind a performance but make sure the performance is tied directly to the case and purpose of the debate. I am NOT some old fart, but I am a bit old school with a blend of progressive ideology.

Pre-dispositions: Please do not make arguments that you do not understand/cannot explain in order to fill the time or to confuse the opponent—I will definitely take notice and probably will not vote for you. Keep things well researched and logical and everything should be fine.

Sportsmanship: Please always be respectful of your opponents. Mean-spiritedness is not a way to show me you’re winning. Even though I will always vote for the better arguments, if you display signs of cruelty towards your opponent, your speaker points will suffer.

****Make sure you have great links…nothing worse than sitting through a round where no one understands how any of the arguments relate to the topic*********

Specifics:

Disadvantages: Unless if your strategy is extremely sophisticated/well thought out/well-rehearsed (I have encountered quite a few when I competed), I think you should always run at least 1 DA.

· The Counterplan: If done well, and the strategy around them is logical and thought-out, these are generally winners. If done poorly and you just inserted one to fill the time, I will be sad and bored.

· Procedurals/Topicality: I love a good meta-debate, and I am open to these if you guys have a solid strategy around these arguments (for example: if your opponents are illogical/made mistakes, point that out to me). However, I usually see T’s used as generic fillers, and I will not vote for a generic filler.

· The Kritik: Love Ks if done well and showcases your knowledge of the topic and argument. However, if I can sense that you don’t know what you’re talking about, running a K might hurt you.

Overall, have fun ( I understand how stressful this event can be), show me you're prepared, and always try to learn something.

Lincoln-Douglas, Big Questions Debate, and Public Forum Debate Paradigm:

My job as a judge is to be a blank slate; your job as a debater is to tell me how and why to vote and decide what the resolution/debate means to you. This includes not just topic analysis but also types of arguments and the rules of debate if you would like. If you do not provide me with voters and impacts I will use my own reasoning. I'm open all arguments but they need to be well explained.

My preference is for debates with a warranted, clearly explained analysis. I do not think tagline extensions or simply reading a card is an argument that will win you the debate. In the last speech, make it easy for me to vote for you by giving and clearly weighing voting issues- these are summaries of the debate, not simply repeating your contentions! You will have the most impact with me if you discuss magnitude, scope, etc. and also tell me why I look to your voting issues before your opponents. In terms of case debate, please consider how your two cases interact with each other to create more class; I find turns especially effective. I do listen closely during cross (even if I don't flow), so that is a place to make attacks, but if you want them to be fully considered please include them during your speeches.

Email: dhbroussard1763@gmail.com

Hello!

I competed for four years in Congressional Debate for Asheville High School. I qualified for CFLS, reached the semifinal round in the Senate at NSDA Nationals in 2020, and have had a solid local career. I currently compete in British Parliamentary Debate for the University of Edinburgh Debates Union. Additionally, I was the co-captain of my team and have recently worked with novices, therefore, I know what a quality speech looks like.

Here is what I value most when judging a round:

I was a presiding officer throughout all four years of competing, and I recognize and appreciate its value. Therefore, I highly consider presiding officers when looking at rankings. If you preside well, I will likely rank you in my top 8.

I appreciate funny intros, but make sure they’re topical. It's important to not use "canned" intros, or intros that you can pull out at any time that apply to any topic. An example would be the quote "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." We’ve all heard it before, please don’t make me hear it again.

Keep in mind that Congressional Debate is just that - debate. While I do appreciate and consider fancy rhetoric and fluent speaking, I will rank someone who makes clear and valid points over someone whose speech sounds pretty, and I will rank someone who does both of those things along with solid refutation above anyone else. I will also value quality of speeches over quantity. If you are passed over on a bill in some way, you will still be considered with everyone who gave a speech on that bill. Please make sure to be interactive with the chamber, though. I will be looking at engagement with the chamber in my rankings. With that in mind, please do not be afraid of moving to previous question if the debate has become rehashy. I can promise that I will like your speech more if it's an early round, unique speech on the next bill than if it's the fourth affirmation speech in a row. Again, Congress is debate, and when the debate has ended, previous question should be called.

Speaking of, there is a difference between refuting speakers and simply name-dropping them. Refutation is legitimately engaging with the material in someone else's speech. For example, saying “Rep. X said this, but my two pieces of evidence prove why they’re wrong,” is refutation. Meanwhile, saying "Rep. X’s point was non-unique so their point falls,” is not refutation. Furthermore, nothing makes it more obvious that you haven’t been listening to the round than saying “representatives on the negation have brought up [blank].” It’s always more impactful to bring up a specific competitor, but make sure you’re bringing them up for a reason and not just because they were on the opposite side and you need to refute someone.

Nothing is more important to me than equity. Inequitable structures and behavior are a huge problem in the debate community, and as a judge, I will take action to ensure that all chambers that I judge are as fair as possible. With that in mind, if you make an outwardly racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or ableist comment, I will drop you. I don’t care how well you were doing otherwise, there is no excuse for that behavior. In that same vein, I know that we all love a good, aggressive questioning session, but do make sure that you aren’t speaking over another person. That isn’t fun for the judges to listen to, and it’s not fun for competitors to interact with.

Additionally, when addressing other competitors, make sure to address them as “Representative” or “Senator.” Too many times in this event, I’ve seen men be acknowledged by one of those titles, while women are addressed as “Miss.” I won’t dock points if you forget whether you’re in the Senate or the House, but please address everyone by either “Representative” or “Senator” to ensure equality in the chamber.

Please let me know if you have questions. After a round, feel free to get in contact with me for any additional advice you may want or questions you may have. Good luck!

CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE PARADIGM

Introduction - The beginning of your speech should be direct and engaging. I appreciate witty introductions or when you explicitly address another debater's arguments.

Your Argument - You should have a clear structure throughout your speech. It is helpful if you signpost in the introduction, clearly address each of your points as promised, and have a strong conclusion. Your argument should be logical and evidence-based. Most importantly, I expect you to either offer original analysis (if you are agreeing with and building upon a previous speaker) or directly rebut a previous argument. Please do not rehash arguments already delivered, unless you offer exceptionally strong new evidence.

Evidence - Rely on strong and credible sources (from reputable, non-partisan news sources/journals/books/etc.) Please cite your sources explicitly. This includes author name, organization, date of publication, and a few words about their qualifications/credibility if the source is not commonly known. Poorly sourced arguments, even if logical, will not be well received.

Cross Examination - Be forceful yet respectful when asking questions. You will earn high marks if you can cross examine somebody and then reference their response when you deliver a speech later on. Responses to questions asked of you should be evidence based and thoughtful. If your tournament uses open cross examination (i.e. you can ask multiple questions successively during a time period), I appreciate when your questions build upon one another. If your tournament uses closed cross examination (i.e. you can ask only one question, and then somebody else is called on), make sure your one question is effective!

Delivery - Please speak clearly and confidently. I would prefer slow and deliberate speech over speaking quickly to fit in as many arguments as possible (spreading). Extra points if you can speak without use of notes (although not at the expense of the quality of your speech).

Presiding Officers - High marks always go to a confident, competent, and fair presiding officer who maintains control over the chamber and demonstrates a clear knowledge of congressional procedure. Please keep track of the order in which speakers are selected, and that you distribute cross examination opportunities fairly.

Behavior in Chamber - The most important thing is that you demonstrate respect to your fellow competitors. Any remarks that are offensive or derogatory in any way - whether made during a competitive session or during breaks - will not be tolerated.

Lastly, please ensure that all of your speeches are solidly grounded in fact and a reasonable understanding of current events...especially for foreign policy topics.

EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING

Evaluation Criteria:

- Witty and engaging introductions are always appreciated.

- Please provide sufficient background information so that I can understand the topic of your speech.

- Structure your arguments logically and signpost clearly. Providing too much structure is better than too little.

- Your analysis does not necessarily need to be original or creative - I realize 30 minutes of preparation is not a lot of time - but please adhere to logical themes of argument. You should demonstrate a clear and realistic understanding of the topic at hand.

- Rely on credible and non-partisan sources, with full citations (author name, organization, date of publication, title, and a summary of qualifications if applicable).

- I prefer speeches that make full use of time allotted. If you are given 7 minutes, aim for 6 minutes and 30 seconds minimum.

- Please specify your preferred time signals, and I will do my very best to accommodate.

Carmen Kohn’s Paradigm

I have been judging speech and debate events since 2016. I am also currently the Director and Head Coach for Charlotte Catholic HS in NC.

Lincoln-Douglas and Public Forum:

I enjoy both the ethical component of the discussions in LD and the current topicality of most PF topics. I appreciate the informative nature of these debates, especially in the current political climate.

I am a classic flow judge for both events and am looking for good clash between opponents. In LD, I place more emphasis on contentions rather than value, however, that evidence must clearly link back to the VC. I am also more interested in the impacts. A dropped contention is not automatic grounds for a win. It depends on the relevance of the argument. When rebutting, don't just extend the author's card. I am not writing down all of the authors. Please remind me of the evidence that was presented. I prefer the well-thought out, well-paced arguments. While debates are won based on evidence presented, I do find a direct correlation between technical speaking abilities and evidence offered. I also make a note of how professionally debaters present themselves and behave towards myself and each other.

I would classify myself as a advanced traditional lay judge. I am not a progressive judge. Do not run theory shells or any other "progressive" argument with me. While I do appreciate the occasional non-traditional argument, especially towards the end of the topic time frame, all cases should be realistic and applicable in the current environment in which we find ourselves. Please debate the current resolution.

Absolutely No Spreading!!! I cannot follow it, especially with online tournaments. You will lose the round. This is probably my biggest pet peeve. I feel there is no educational value to that in a competitive environment. You run the risk that I will not have caught all of your arguments and may miss a main point in my flow. Please keep technical jargon to a minimum also. Throwing around debate jargon and just cards identified by author gets too confusing to follow. And if you ask a question during cross-ex, please let your opponent answer and finish their sentences. It’s unprofessional to cut someone off. Signposts and taglines are always appreciated. I generally do not disclose or give oral RFD. I want time to review my notes. Debates where opponents respect each other and are having fun, arguing solid contentions, are the best ones to watch.

Congress:

I've just started judging Congress. My "comments" are usually summaries of your speeches. Occasional commentary on the delivery and/or content. Please interact with previously given speeches (by Rep name also) and don't just rehash a "first speech". If you can bring a new point to the discussion 6 speeches in, that is awesome.

I will give points to POs. I appreciate what is involved in POing. During nomination speeches, it can be assumed that a PO will run a "fast and efficient" chamber. No need to state the obvious. However, if that actually doesn't take place, a lower rank will result.

Good luck to all!!

I'm a former speech competitor that has been judging speech, PF, LD, and CX rounds for 5 years. I am currently a public speaking teacher at the collegiate level as well. The things that I look for are consistent throughout both speech and debate events, recent and unbiased information, clear definitions, and NO SPREADING! The point of debate is to cleanly debate topics as educated individuals and to not devolve into a rude, talking over type of argument. There is a difference between debating and arguing.

The long and short of it all: I want a good, clean and fair fight!

I am an experienced coach and judge in all events, debate and speech, on our local and state circuits as well as on the national circuit. I have traveled nationally and coached at summer camps in the past in both Congress and PF. I am a full flow judge in all debate events, and yes Congress is a debate event! I will judge based off the flow, but, imo, for PF/LD/CX, quantity is not king. The best debaters demonstrate strong analytical skills and know how to collapse, weigh, and justify effectively in favor of their side of the flow.

I'll deal with Congressional Debate first because it's a little shorter. I've extensively coached on local, state, and national levels and have had finalists and top 6 placers at all levels, including co-coaching a national champion. I tend to prefer circuit style Congressional Debate. I want to see good debate and will reward that much more heavily than any deductions for a few speaking blips. Good word choice and smooth speaking are important, just relatively slightly less important than really debating. If you have to choose a slight tradeoff between delivery and debating, my preference is to prioritize debate. I prefer a rapid delivery pace, but not definitely not policy speed. I do have a sense of humor and definitely enjoy tastefully humorous styles, as long as they maintain the decorum and respect of the chamber and subjects of the debate. I understand and appreciate various types of speeches within a round, including the fact that you may want to give an authorship/sponsorship for various reasons. However, my expectation is that if you hope for a higher rank from me you will demonstrate how well you are able to speak late in the round (i.e. refutations and crystallizations). I likely can't rank you if you give the first or second speech on every bill repeatedly, no matter how beautifully you may speak. I am a fan of POs. Many of my best Congressional debaters have been excellent POs. I say this with the understanding that anyone who runs to PO can preside very EFFECTIVELY and EFFICIENTLY. If you are presiding, dispense with anything that wastes speaking time and get right down to it, recognizing speakers and questioners as quickly as possible without mistakes or extra language. This may sound strange, but the less I hear or see you as PO, while the chamber is running quickly through speeches, the higher I will want to rank you. Finally, please don't rehash or waste the chamber's time with unnecessary parli games. If the debate is getting repetitive, please PQ the bill and move on, I will not think you're rude for calling the question, even if speakers are on the floor when the debate quality is poor.

OK - ON TO PF/LD - I am very flexible when it comes to rate of speaking. You can speak as fast as your mouth can move while maintaining solid enunciation and intelligible speech. I can follow and flow national circuit style policy when I am coaching and judging policy, but PF and LD are not policy. Also, imo, many debaters believe they can speak much faster than they actually can/should/need to. Think carefully about the tradeoff between saying more words and choosing persuasive and effective words when you are considering your rate choices in the round. Often, the strongest debaters/teams are able to edge off extreme speed because of their analytical skills.

I prefer to see debates where there is some kind of clear framework for decision making presented at some point (hopefully the beginning/early on), and where weighing on that framework occurs effectively WITH reasoning behind why the mechanism and the flow on your side is appropriate/superior.

In my mind, ultimately, the quality of evidence is more important than the quantity and logic is more important than raw facts/evidence. PLEASE, PLEASE, do not simply keep repeating "my __ card" or rely on "my card says so" in round. You MUST be able to explain the logic of your evidence and understand how your source has arrived at whatever conclusion you are presenting as your cut card. Without the logic, cards have pretty much zero value in round (unless your opponent has the same problem in their debating and then I guess I get to decide which cards I like better?). Also, while I value quality of evidence over sheer quantity, my expectation at circuit tournament debates is that every team who seeks to win rounds will also have a high quantity of evidence and demonstrate the logical basis and connection to that quantity of evidence.

Please make sure to present your version of how the debate is going by the end of the round. I do want to hear, iyo, what the key voters are, why they are the keys, and why you have presented superior arguments/evidence/analysis/etc. to advance your offensive attacks over theirs.

For crossfires, I really detest debaters/teams that (1) seek to speak every moment and try to prevent others from speaking (if you ask a question you MUST give them a chance to answer without cutting them off every two seconds) (2) provide the longest, most tangential, or most evasive answers possible to "kill time" (please get to the point) (3) can't stand up to reasonable questioning and crossfire strategies that seek to point out inconsistencies or lack of information. Please allow for time sharing within the crossfire period, maintain dignity, and, if you ask a question, you must let your opponent answer the question without immediately cutting them off (unless they're being obtuse or obstructive).

I absolutely detest debaters who do the thing where they shake or nod heads, or make gestures or movements or eye rolling, etc. while the opponent or partner is speaking to try to reinforce or negate what is being said at that moment. It's really distracting and annoying. You're not helping yourself by drawing attention to yourself in this negative way.

I am not opposed to answering any other questions prior to the round, as it is likely I've forgotten to address some issue you may have in mind.

Yes, I may call for your evidence at the end of a round if it is hotly contested, vital to the round, or suspect in some way.

I have been judging LD and PFD debate for fifteen years.  In a typical year, I judge 2-4 national tournaments, including CFL and/or NSDA nationals in many years, and a number of tournaments at the state and district level. After 20+ years as an executive in the high tech industry, I am into my second career, in academia, having just earned my doctorate international history. My spouse is a high school speech and debate coach in North Carolina and we have two children that have competed  on the national circuit and internationally.

Although I have been around the block, so to say, I still consider myself a lay judge.  I try to stay abreast of "progressive" debate and am pretty comfortable with speed, but these are not my preferences.  To me debate is about communication and persuasion and I rarely find these styles persuasive.  I am more likely to be swayed by quality than quantity, by convincing well-reasoned, well-warranted claims vs. cleverness -- alas, I am not a clever man.

Most of all, I want debaters engage one another, find the clash, and tell me how to weigh the round.  Remember, I am not a clever man, and you don't want me deciding how to to weigh the round.  

Above all, I want the competitors to have a positive experience, to grow intellectually and as communicators, and to have fun in the process.  I strive to provide clear and constructive feedback and I am always open to questions if my feedback or decision is not clear. 

This is my third year judging - I judge Congressional Debate and Lincoln-Douglas, and occasionally have the pleasure of being entertained with speech performances. I have been a practicing attorney for 26 years, both in the trial, transactional, and appellate worlds. While in public practice I spent significant time drafting model legislation for use by the multiple states and testifying on its behalf in the Maine Legislature. I love policy. I love the art of persuasion. I value the ability to argue both sides of any issue. I enjoy pointed and concise argument. Be professional, be kind, and, most importantly, have fun.

I am a parent judge and would appreciate a slower talking speed. Please make sure your argument is clear and be polite/have basic courtesy toward your peers.