I am a parent judge and have limited experience with debate. Prefer slower speaking (don't spread), and expect clear and concise arguments.

About me: I began coaching high school debate in the US in 2017, after coaching 2 years in Japan. In that time I have judged PF and LD debate from local novice rounds up to the final round of LD at NCFL Grand Nationals. While not a high school debater myself, I learned the value of debate in college, where I publicly debated my thesis on a potential war in Iraq (this was shortly before the 2nd war). A poll of the lay audience suggested that I "won" on my solid arguments, evidence and impacts... But the poll also showed the majority disagreed with my proposed course of action. So could that really be considered a "win"? Turns out, I had barely touched an underlying value debate that neither I nor the lay audience had recognized was needed. This is just one reason I find great value in both impact-oriented PF and value-oriented LD debate (the two styles I have most experience coaching and judging). Below are things I value when judging a round.

What I value as a judge:

Do the most important work for me. I expect to debaters to do the core work of linking claims to evidence to framework, etc., highlighting key points of clash, and weighing. If reasoning seems to be vague or missing, I will not fill it in for you. For example, don't tell me to cross-apply an argument and assume that I will know how you expect me to cross-apply it--explain how it applies and why it matters.

Speak so I can flow. If debaters speak too fast or use too much jargon, I cannot flow it. When I make the final decision, I refer to my flow. You want your arguments to be on my flow! PF is aimed at educating the public, so make sure a layman can follow along. Even LD should be flowable for opponents and judges. There is no excuse for obfuscation.

Be clear and concise. Use signposts to refer to framework, contentions and sub-points. If a debater has to speak fast to fit all the arguments in, they likely have not distilled their speeches down to the most critical issues. Puns are fun, but my RFD is based on argumentative powers, not added "flowers".

Use Cross-Ex/Crossfire to clarify. Ask questions to reveal and clarify key issues, and answer opponents' questions in good faith. Be sure that both sides get the opportunity clarify the key issues. CX is not an opportunity for one side to extend its own points according to its own prerogative. I frown upon cases that blatantly expect Side A to use their CX time so that Side B can finish laying out a case that Side B couldn't fit within their own allotted time.

Maintain decorum. Be careful not to lose temper in the heat of the round. Do not abuse CX by excessively cutting off or talking over the opposing team. Avoid gestures and comments that would be considered rude in an academic or professional setting. I may down-vote teams that break these rules.

Don't linger on rule violations. I do appreciate teams letting me know when they think an opponent has violated the rules, but don't spend too much time on it. Summarize how the rules appear to have been violated and then move on. Lingering too long on a rule violation runs the risk of leaving other important issues unaddressed, which I may weigh more heavily than the perceived violation.

I do not like spreading, especially online as I have a hard time understanding what you are saying if you spread. Also, please try not to mumble as I am somewhat hard of hearing.

I do not like Ks. I do not know how to judge a competitor using one or any kind of progressive debate in LD.

I'm a judge from a very traditional circuit and thus that's gonna be my preference for debate. I'll go into more specific details below.

Speed - Please don't spread. I'm fine with a debater's pace, as long as it's comprehensible. If you do have to spread, please share your doc and analytics on the email chain.

Framework - I understand the basics of framework debate. If you have a complex/unique framework please elaborate. As for addressing, go into however much detail you deem necessary. When addressing, tell me why your framework is important, outweighs, or a pre-req to your opponent's.

CX - I allow answers to go over time. This goes with 2 ideas. 1, please finish asking the question by end of time. 2, please don't abuse this regulation. I won't flow cross, but using answers in rebuttal will certainly strengthen it.

CPs - A fan of counterplans. If you are going to run one, please abide by the rules of the circuit. Also, make sure to establish mutual exclusivity/competition and solvency.

PICs - Please don't run one.

T - Please don't run T shells.

Ks - Please don't run one. I can almost guarantee that I won't fully understand it. Also, odds are this goes hand in hand with spreading, please reference the speed section.

Email - Please add me to the email chain if there is one. carolynvgeruc@outlook.com

As a judge in this public forum debate, I seek three important things. First, keep it simple and clear when you talk. Don't use fancy words that make things confusing. I want everyone, including me, to understand your points easily.

Second, I like to see a good back-and-forth, where you respond to what the other team says. It's not just about saying your own thing; it's about clashing with the other side's ideas. Make sure you're talking directly to each other's points.

Lastly, stick to the main topic. Don't go off on unrelated stuff. Keep your arguments connected to what we're here to discuss. Doing these things'll make the debate interesting and easy to follow, which is what I'm looking for as a judge in this tournament.

I always try to make my decision based on debaters performance without my personal opinions involved. The debaters performance will be graded per clearly organized contentions, persuasive arguments, good cross exam performance, and convincing presentation.

Please speak not too fast, watch your time, and show respects to your opponents.

Hope everyone enjoys the events.

I flow the round. If you spread, make sure I can understand you, or it will be for naught. If you act uncivil or rude to your opponent(s), it will be difficult for me to be sympathetic to your arguments. It is important that evidence supports logic.

If competitors are doing an email chain for evidence; Sanchez-villa@trinityrocks.com

Competed in the Louisville, Kentucky Circuit in high school for three years. Graduated with a major in Political Science from the University of Louisville. I am an assistant coach of Trinity High School for the Speech & Debate team and have held that role for four years now. I say this to highlight that I have years of experience in this event and am familiar with many debate styles, philosophies, frameworks and am aware of changing trends in the debate world, that being said Debate is an educational tool and a time for students to practice analytical thinking and persuasive skills in a unique environment unlike school, so please do not spread at a rate that is so fast that it can never be repeated in a public environment, dont go so fast that the only way to flow is off a speech doc because I will ignore it. Evidence calling is a new thing with the advent of technology post-covid but do not make the evidence calling period so long that it delays the debate and ends up being wasted, call for cards that matter to the judge, not your team. Great debate, for me, is one where both sides are understanding of what the other person's case is stating and evaluating and clashing at that crucial point. There are a lot of debates where people run past each others points and do not actually attack the meat of what is being debated causing me to weigh two worlds that have very little to differentiate from. Competitors should be critical of evidence (yes please do stake the round on thats not what your evidence says, and I will read evidence of contention if I believe there is merit to it not claiming what it means, bad card cutting happens to everyone) and claims being made and any connection that they do not make for me as a judge I will not flow. Make my decision for me with your final speech.