• I debated Policy in high school, have a degree in economics, a JD and post-graduate studies in Public Policy.   My son has debated Public Forum for the past 7 years.  I have judged PF for the past several years (and judged LD once at the NJFLs).  

• I flow, can handle moderate speed -- if you spread, you will lose me.  

• I try hard to come into the round tabula rasa -- I make no assumptions and carry no preconceieved notions about the resolution into how I view and judge the round.  Even if it is the last tournament on a resoution, and even if I have judged multiple rounds on the topic, I will try to judge your round as though I know no more about the topic than the typical well-informed, reasonably engaged citizen.

• If you are organized (signposts, etc.) I will absorb more of what you are saying. 

• Debates that center on framework are not my favorite -- if you rely on a lot of framework arguments, explain why those matter more than the contentions and impacts in the round.

• I don't flow cross-fire.  If you gain something useful in cx, bring it into your summary/final focus -- raise arguments/responses in final focus without mentioning them in summary at your peril.  

• Evidence is always good -- better even better when paired with sound logic. Explain why the evidence supports your argument, why your evidence is better than your opponent's evidence, and why your evidence supports your impacts.  

• Clash encouraged, logical explanations expected, respect of your opponents demanded.  

Speed
I will try to take notes/flow as you go, but I will not be able to follow your arguments if you go too fast. Try to slow down as much as possible.
Timing
You are welcome to keep your own time, but I will keep official time as well, including prep. Please do not steal prep by talking during the opponent's speech time - I will deduct speaker points.
Evidence
I might read a little literature related to the current topic, but don't assume I know everything that you're talking about.
Arguments
I will listen to anything as long as it makes sense.
Speaker Points
I'm usually not too generous with them, but I'll reward good effort, politeness, and logical argumentation.

NOVICE AND VARSITY PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE

When it comes to Public Forum debate, it's meant to be a debate style that's easily understood by the mass public. Your case (Aff or Neg) should conform to this style as best you can. Make your case understandable and accessible. You and your partner usually get very interesting topics, so, make the best of it.

Time:

For novice, I usually help keep time to ensure that we're all on track and where we should all be in the round. Please also keep time, it just makes things easier. Also, keep accurate prep time too. Furthermore, even if time runs out and you're mid sentence, I usually let you finish, if you keep going I will cut you off. Time is time. 

Cross-Examination

Very easy to do and I'm very straight forward about this: at this point in the debate it is not really that scripted so I need you to make this as informative and interesting as possible. However, debate is meant to be an exciting and informative exchange of ideas between you and your opponent. The discussion should be lively but not a shouting match. If you are blatantly rude, disrespectful, and/or verbally assaulting your opponent, I will deduct speaker points from you. 

What I Look for in a Round

Please tell me the weight of your arguments. If you do NOT tell me, I will weigh them for you. I generally flow what I can understand. If your case makes no sense or you're speaking too fast, I just won't flow your arguments. Extensions are important. I look for which of your contentions, arguments, and cards can be extended throughout the debate. Turns are interesting...but a debater can be abusive about it sometimes because they think everything is a turn when in fact it's not. So, it's good to know what's a turn but keep in mind I ultimately decide that. Scope, magnitude, and impacts are very important to me. I really look for those in a round. 

NOVICE AND VARSITY LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE

I have grown fond of the LD debate round. Novices shape their moral philosophy arguments while Varsity gets very complex with their arguments and speed of speech. Very interesting indeed. I really enjoy the philosophical debates, so the more you can philosophize about your case (Aff or Neg) and do it in a way that's clear and concise we should be in a good round. 

Time:

For novice, I usually help keep time to ensure that we're all on track and where we should all be in the round. Please also keep time, it just makes things easier. Also, keep accurate prep time too. Furthermore, even if time runs out and you're mid sentence, I usually let you finish, if you keep going I will cut you off. Time is time. 

Cross-Examination

Very easy to do and I'm very straight forward about this: at this point in the debate it is not really that scripted so I need you to make this as informative and interesting as possible. However, debate is meant to be an exciting and informative exchange of ideas between you and your opponent. The discussion should be lively but not a shouting match. If you are blatantly rude, disrespectful, and/or verbally assaulting your opponent, I will deduct speaker points from you. Please avoid awkward silences and come prepared to a debate. I don't like it when you ruffle papers and are disorganized. It wastes debate time. Also, use all your time in a crossX or speech. If you don't use all your time it gives me the impression you're unprepared and that the round just won't be interested. So, again, be prepared. 

What I Look for in a Round

Please tell me the weight of your arguments. If you do NOT tell me, I will weigh them for you. I generally flow what I can understand. If your case makes no sense or you're speaking too fast, I just won't flow your arguments. Extensions are important. I look for which of your contentions, arguments, and cards can be extended throughout the debate. Turns are interesting...but a debater can be abusive about it sometimes because they think everything is a turn when in fact it's not. So, it's good to know what's a turn but keep in mind I ultimately decide that. Scope, magnitude, and impacts are very important to me. I really look for those in a round. I try to be as non-interventionist as I possibly can be in the round. I like to have the debate round take it's own course. Also, sometimes a lot can happen in an LD round so please sign-post just to make sure we're on the same flow. 

Updated for 2018 TOC

Public Forum Paradigm for 2018 TOC

First thing to know about me, I am a lay public forum judge. I have judged around the circuit, but I emphasize to you, I am a lay PF judge. I am judging for Bronx Science.

I like delivery that is slow, tasteful, and artful. I prefer big picture analysis over a highly technical line-by-line approach. The role of the final focus should be to tell me who is winning the round clearly and concisely--narrative speeches are preferred. Extension is very important to me, and I will not take well to teams that extend through ink.

With that being said, ink will be limited. During speeches, I like to sit back and listen. Persuasion is very important to me, and for that reason, I value understanding your arguments over following them on the flow, and will take limited notes. I am not aware of arguments regarding topicality or kritiks, and plans are illegal in Public Forum, so I will not vote for them.

I tend to value style and argument equally, as both are very important. I will always vote for the team with the clearest arguments and delivery at the end of the round. I do not care much for how you structure your speeches, but all arguments that you expect to win on have to be in both summary and final focus--not grand crossfire. A second speaking team is not expected to cover their own case in rebuttal.

Lincoln-Douglas Debate:


To preface my paradigm, I have very limited LD judging experience. That said, you may want to strike me. If you are a brave soul and have decided not to strike me, or are considering preffing me more highly in the pool, here are what I expect to be my judging preferences as a new LD judge:

• NO SPREADING. I don’t have problems with it on principle. I just won’t understand you. If you are going too fast (spreading or not), I will simply stop flowing.
• If you are debating in front of me, I might not understand the nuances of the more complex frameworks. If you decide you don’t care and read a complicated framework in front of me, you should be using cross-x and your later speeches to make it as clear as possible for me. If I can’t understand it, I won’t vote on it.
• As someone who has more public forum and congressional debate judging experience, I appreciate good public speaking skills and a strong sense of ethos in round. I will reward these qualities with higher speaker points.
• Please be respectful. There is a big difference between being funny in round, and being rude/hostile. Debate is an educational activity, which requires a level of respect between competitors.
• Finally, to reiterate- I AM AN INEXPERIENCED LD JUDGE. Do not run your Ks, Plans, Counterplans, Disads, T-interps, or run theory arguments in front of me. I will not know how to evaluate these types of arguments. I will probably just be confused.

I guess in general I’ll say the following: You can think of me as an extremely ‘lay” judge. If I cannot understand an argument, I will not vote on it.

hello! i started as a novice at gmu where i debated for 5 years. i then went and coached at binghamton for 2 years and then back to mason for 3.

my email is mthomasgmu@gmail.com

for hybrid, I tend to keep my camera on during speeches. If my camera is off please assume I am not there and do not begin. I’m probably not far from my computer but if it’s been a while shoot me an email. '

Do whatever you do best. i was a flex 2n and read both k affs and policy affs, so i am down for just about anything

I am pro-Palestine. It is already worrying enough how little care debaters take when debating about current events when people’s lives, families, and liberation are on the line, but for one where an ethnic cleansing is currently being funded by our tax dollars, I have very little patience for this topic coming up in policy debates in an unethical way. Tread carefully

FW - this is a huge chunk of the db8s i have judged/debated during my now decade long tenure in debate, so i have heard just about it all. i find clash impacts more persuasive than fairness. topic education das are generally not a winner in front of me - the process of debate does not translate well to the real world so i dont believe you when you say debating w/e topic is going to make you a more persuasive advocate or a better congress person. most of us are far too busy between school, debate, work, etc for this to leave the space so lets not pretend like it will. take advantage of the other teams screw ups - if their counter interp is nonsense, take advantage of that. meanwhile, make sure your tva is relevant and can actually engage with the content of the aff. please also always answer the aff - presumption and turns case args are your friends! side note, if the aff gives you disads or impact turns, i far prefer that debate and will be very grumpy if you chose to go for fw instead.

for answering fw - please defend some sort of action that solves some sort of impact. it obvi doesnt have to be capital T Topical, tho preferably it is in the direction or spirit of the revolution. i have voted for affs with no relevance to the topic, but i have a much lower threshold for fw in that world.

t - again i know little to nothing about the topic but i love a good t debate. ive voted on my fair share of bad t args before (shout out to t subs) because aff teams never seem to provide a meaningful limit with their c/i. i need it explained to me exactly what the case list is under either interp, and what ground was lost. i obvi dont really know the aff/neg ground on this topic but i like to think i can follow along.

Counterplans - not the biggest fan of cheaty cps. condo is good up until a point (probably max 3, preferably 2). dont like perf con or condo planks. not a fan of states but i guess y'all dont really have a choice this year.

case debate - big big fan of good impact turn debates. presumption is also a useful argument.

K - it would be cool if your link would be about the aff - i have judged too many clashless debates where the neg just goes on some adjacent historical tangent but never brings it back to the aff. i like alts but they are not necessary - win the framework debate and you're golden. idk why theres a trend to go for a cap k and then spend a ton of time on framework when it is functionally an impact turn debate??

some odds and ends -

im typically a big picture thinker, so meta level questions and framing args are critical to instructing my ballot, especially in debates involving a k. im very interested in what the ballots relationship is to voting for whichever side, particularly in issues involving things within and outside my social location. i dont really like being perceived as a judge, but what does my ballot as a white queer woman mean? (aka i find the ballot k persuasive more often than not)

if im in a straight up policy debate, i dont get these too terribly often, so id recommend not making it too big - id prefer depth over breadth.

ive found im a pretty expressive judge, and if i am confused or cant understand you my face will make that clear.

Have fun, be clear, be clever.

I've been debating and coaching teams across the country for a while. Currently coaching Dreyfoos AL (Palm Beach Independent) and Poly Prep.

MAIN STUFF

I will make whichever decision requires the least amount of intervention. I don't like to do work for debaters but in 90% of rounds you leave me no other choice.

Here's how I make decisions

1) Weighing/Framework (Prereqs, then link-ins/short-circuits, then impact comparison i.e. magnitude etc.)

2) Cleanly extended argument across both speeches (summ+FF) that links to FW

3) No unanswered terminal defense extended in other team's second half speeches

I have a very high threshold for extensions, saying the phrase "extend our 1st contention/our impacts" will get you lower speaks and a scowl. You need to re-explain your argument from uniqueness to fiat to impact in order to properly "extend" something in my eyes. I need warrants. This also goes for turns too, don't extend turns without an impact.

Presumption flows neg. If you want me to default to the first speaking team you'll need to make an argument. In that case though you should probably just try to win some offense.

SPEAKING PREFS

I like analytical arguments, not everything needs to be carded to be of value in a round. (Warrants )

Signpost pls. Roadmaps are a waste of time 98% of the time, I only need to know where you're starting.

I love me some good framework. Highly organized speeches are the key to high speaks in front of me. Voter summaries are fresh.

I love T and creative topicality interps. Messing around with definitions and grammar is one of my favorite things to do as a coach.

Try to get on the same page as your opponents as often as possible, agreements make my decision easier and make me respect you more as a debater (earning you higher speaks). Strategic concessions make me happy. The single best way to get good speaks in front of me is to implicate your opponent's rebuttal response(s) or crossfire answers against them in a speech.

Frontlining in second rebuttal is smart but not required. It’s probably a good idea if they read turns.

Reading tons of different weighing mechanisms is a waste of time because 10 seconds of meta-weighing or a link-in OHKOs. When teams fail to meta-weigh or interact arguments I have to intervene, and that makes me sad.

Don’t extend every single thing you read in case.

PROCEDURAL LOGISTICS

My email is devon@victorybriefs.com

I'm not gonna call for cards unless they're contested in the round and I believe that they're necessary for my RFD. I think that everyone else that does this is best case an interventionist judge, and worst case a blatant prep thief.

Skipping grand is cringe. Stop trying to act like you're above the time structure.

Don't say "x was over time, can we strike it?" right after your opponent's speech. I'll only evaluate/disregard ink if you say it was over time during your own speech time. Super annoying to have a mini argument about speech time in between speeches. Track each other’s prep.

Don't say TKO in front of me, no round is ever unwinnable.

PROG STUFF

Theory's fine, usually frivolous in PF. Love RVIs Genuinely believe disclosure is bad for the event and paraphrasing is good, but I certainly won't intervene against any shell you're winning.

I will vote for kritikal args :-)

Just because you're saying the words structural violence in case doesn't mean you're reading a K

Shoutouts to my boo thang, Shamshad Ali #thepartnership

Hi, I'm the Director of Speech and Debate at Poly Prep.

I did 8 years of policy debate in HS & College. I started my career coaching college policy at NYU, was then the Director of Debate at Byram Hills HS, and now have been at Poly for the last 5 years.

I see rounds as technical applications that interact with each other and split out a winner. My goal as the judge is to be the least involved with the decision I make as possible. The more you let this happen for me, the happier you will be with speaker points.

I have no preferences in the types of arguments you run - but make sure to provide a framework for how to evaluate said arguments.

**2020 TOC add-on:

I have been on the sideline from judging for the last several years due to health issues that limited the use of my hands. I am so pumped to be able to judge again. That being said - in order to make sure I have a correct flow, if you are going too fast for my hands to catch up (which for PF should be fine, but just so you know), I will unmute and say 'slower'.