All judges should know how to handle a player appeal—it’s a right granted to the players in the policy document. When you’re floor judging, it’s important to make sure players know they can appeal if they disagree with a ruling, and both floor and head judges should make every effort to keep the process as professional as possible. In this week’s article, I’m going to break down the appeal process, point out all the appropriate steps, and offer some suggestions for making it easier to handle.

The first thing all judges need to do to prepare themselves for handling appeals is to know their stuff. Make sure you’re qualified to answer questions, and stay on top of current rulings and policies. Rulings occasionally change and new sets are released quite often. Your job as a judge is to keep up as well as you can and remember that situations may arise where you don’t really know the answer.

It’s a good idea to get a portable rulings source that you can double check (like a printout or a laptop with an Internet connection), and remember that you can also consult with other judges or Upper Deck representatives at the event.

We’ll assume that you’ve done your homework, so let’s look a bit closer at the appeals process, and your role in it. We’ll begin at the beginning, with the floor judge who initially answers the call.

When you answer a judge call, you need to put in some effort to correctly rule on the situation. First, make sure you understand the player’s issue. In some situations, this is easier said than done. Pick a system and stick with it: I usually ask the turn player to speak first, and then ask the opponent to respond. It’s easier to follow what’s going on when both players aren’t talking at the same time, and if you do it the same way each time, players won’t think you’re playing favorites. A replay demonstration of what happened can make things much clearer than a verbal description if the question involves interaction of several cards. Once you think you’ve got the question, go ahead and repeat it back to the players, to make sure everyone understands. Don’t cut off a player while they’re explaining, and don’t allow them to talk over you, either. Everyone needs to listen to each other.

You should also make note of the time. If the ruling ends up taking a while, the players are entitled to a time extension. A quick glance at the clock or your watch will be enough to grant them the appropriate amount of extra time.

If you don’t know the answer, don’t just guess. There should always be other options, such as consulting a rulings guide or conferring with another judge. Your reputation will suffer far more if you’re constantly guessing your way through rulings than it will if you tell the players “I’m pretty sure the answer is [whatever your answer is], but I want to double-check to make sure. I’d like you guys to hold on for a minute while I do that.”

If you give a ruling, and a player doesn’t seem convinced, remind that player that he or she has the right to appeal the answer. Pay attention to the opponent or any spectators as well, and make sure that they aren’t pressuring the player into accepting the ruling. It might seem like a waste of time, especially if you are confident in your answer, but it saves a lot of trouble in the end if you put in some effort to ensure that the players feel fairly treated.

If a player decides to appeal, you should remind the players not to continue play or move any of the relevant cards. Then go to the head judge, explain the situation briefly, and tell him or her what you ruled. The judge can verify or correct your answer if it is a simple, “Can this card do that?” situation, or return to the table with you if it is more complex. Most players would rather deal with the head judge in person, so it’s usually best if the head judge goes over to deliver the final word.

Players may not become belligerent or insulting towards you. Period. If a player is disrespectful to you, and tells you that you’re stupid, that they want a different judge, or something similar, you should remind him or her that you must give your ruling first, and he or she can then appeal that ruling. Remind him or her that disrespectful language or behavior will earn a penalty. Insulting behavior towards the judges should not be tolerated.

All right, floor judge, your part has been nobly played! What should the head judge do?

When the head judge arrives at the table, he or she should greet the players, and then ask them about the situation. This is just a double-check to make sure that you know what is going on, especially in complicated chains. Don’t rely on the second-person account from the floor judge—go ahead and make sure you know what you’re being asked. Repeat the process used by the floor judge. The players should explain in turn, and demonstrate with the cards if needed. Repeat the situation back to the players, to make sure they’ve explained exactly what is going on, and once you’re sure of what you’re being asked, deliver your ruling.

The players need to respect the ruling and your authority. If they still disagree, they might present some evidence if they have a reliable rulings source. Provided that the source is accurate and their attitude is civil, you should modify your answer if you are convinced. Under no circumstances should you tolerate insulting or disrespectful words or behavior towards yourself or any other member of the judge staff. Also, you shouldn’t let the player drag out the appeal with arguments, or a refusal to accept your final word. Point out that the matter is closed, and that if the player continues to argue, he or she will incur a penalty. Don’t forget to give a time extension, if one is warranted, and check with the floor judge to verify how long the process took.

If the floor judge’s ruling was incorrect and you needed to override it, take that judge aside (away from the players) and explain what was wrong, provided that there’s time and you think it is needed. Usually the floor judge will stand near you during the appeal, so if you explained it then, you probably don’t need to explain it again. Don’t make the floor judge feel stupid—thank him or her for assisting in the appeal. If you find that a judge makes a lot of mistakes, they may need to do some additional studying and preparation before returning as a judge. This can be discussed with the judge and the tournament organizer after the event. (This applies to you as well: if you find yourself making rulings that the official materials contradict, you may want to do a little studying before the next event.) Be reasonable about this. A lot of beginning judges can become a solid, dependable part of the team with some encouragement and training. Learn to recognize the people who aren’t going to work out, but don’t waste a potentially worthwhile judge just because he or she is still learning the ropes.

Head judges: before the event begins, make sure the floor judges know what penalties they are allowed to hand out. If they are restricted to lateness and no-show penalties only, they need to know that! Less experienced judges are best off deferring all other penalties to the head judge, to avoid any inappropriate game or match losses.

There you go—that’s the appropriately run appeals process. While it might bother you from time to time, the system exists to protect players and judges alike. After all, one of the most important jobs a judge has is to give correct and consistent rulings. No judge (or player, for that matter) knows absolutely everything, and the appeal process helps balance that out.

If you discourage players from appealing rulings because you feel that it’s an affront to your ability to judge, or you worry that appeals will make the head judge think you’re incompetent, you need to change that attitude. You’re not out there to make yourself look good: you’re there to provide the best rulings and guidance possible. Don’t feel insulted if a player wants to appeal your ruling, and don’t give the impression that you are angry or offended when it happens. Be professional! Appeals are part of the job. Players should never think they’ll be penalized or earn the enmity of a judge by correctly and civilly appealing a ruling.

Incidentally, this week’s Solid Ground details the appeal process from the player’s side. It’s worth your time to look that over as well.