Magic: The Gathering Judge Program
This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. The reason given is: Needs to be updated with post-2019 developments and the transition to Judge Academy. (August 2022) |
The Magic: The Gathering Judge Program is an independent organization that trains, certifies, and manages Judges, the tournament officials who run
History
The Judge Program has existed for almost as long as Magic: The Gathering itself. An organization called the
Over time, the program has grown and changed. The program is now independently organized, with a three-level system,[6] its own method for selecting leadership,[3] and incorporating many of the functions that were previously run by the DCI.[7][8] Judges now apply for events months in advance, and generally spend months or years judging events locally - independently or with a mentor - before being recruited to larger events such as Grand Prix and Pro Tours.
In 2019, at the behest of Wizards of the Coast, a new organization, Judge Academy, was founded to manage and operate the judge program into the future. Judges are now required to pay an annual membership fee.[9] Initially fees were up to $400 a year (plus tax) to include twice-yearly shipments of judge promotional cards.[10] Fees were waived in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic[11] From 2022, a flat fee of $75 per year was implemented, no longer including promotional cards.[12] As of October 2023, Wizards of the Coast has ended its partnership with Judge Academy.[13]
Structure
The entire program consists of more than 6,000 active judges worldwide. Judges are certified once they successfully complete a series of pre-requisites and pass an exam. A similar process allows judges to reach a higher level.[14][15]
Level 1 Judges are responsible for the majority of events worldwide, including most events at local stores. Over 4,000 judges are Level 1, and are certified to handle small events on their own, including knowledge both of the
The Judge Program selects its own global and regional leadership. A group of Program Coordinators and Regional Coordinators are assigned based on an application process, and they are responsible for regions or projects within the Judge Program.[15]
Role in Organized Play
The Judge Program also maintains and interprets the policies in effect at Magic: the Gathering tournaments. With each quarterly release of a new product, the tournament policy is also updated. These updates include changes needed to support the new cards, as well as periodic changes to the interpretations or rulings given in certain scenarios. For example, in early 2019, an update was published which would allow players to "take back" decisions in certain situations. This was previously commonly allowed by judges as long as the game had not progressed too far, and this update codified the practice.[16] As another example, a recent update updated the penalty for using an illegal method to end a match, such as rolling a die. Previously, this resulted in an automatic disqualification, now, players are only disqualified if they knew that what they were doing was against the rules.[17]
Judges answer a variety of calls at a typical tournament, ranging from questions about rules interactions to cases involving complex investigations to determine how a game has progressed, and whether a competitor is lying or cheating. Most cases are resolved by the judge answering the question, or helping the competitors through a complex interaction. However, in extreme cases, players can receive penalties up to and including disqualification from the tournament. When this happens, the case is also referred to a specialized committee within the judge program called the Player Investigations Committee, which determines whether any further action, such as a suspension, is required.[15][18][19]
Recent events
Independent Contractor Classification
Judges have historically been classified as either independent contractors or as volunteers while working at events. In 2015 and 2016, two lawsuits were filed against Wizards of the Coast claiming that Judges should be considered employees of Wizards of the Coast while acting as judges. These claims were based around the
In response to these lawsuits and similar claims, Wizards of the Coast has taken steps to distance itself from the Judge Program and from similar community workers for other games, such as Dungeons & Dragons.[20]
References
- ^ "Judge Levels". MagicJudges.org.
- ^ a b "What is a Judge?". wizards.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on December 30, 2014.
- ^ a b "Program Coordinators - Official Resources". MagicJudges.org.
- ^ "Judge Certification: Daily MTG". wizards.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
- ^ Zandi, Jeff. "So you say you want to judge at a Grand Prix?". LegitMTG.
- ^ "Judge Levels - Redefinition". MagicJudges.org. 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
- ^ Baranay, Paul (16 March 2017). "Launching JudgeApps Reviews!". MagicJudges.org.
- ^ Fernandes, Louis (23 March 2018). "Judge Exams are available through JudgeApps". MagicJudges.org.
- ^ "Future of the Judge Program". MagicJudges.org. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ "July 29, 2019 FAQ". JudgeAcademy.com. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ Apraez, Nicolette (29 September 2020). "Judge Academy Response to COVID-19". JudgeAcademy.com. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ Apraez, Nicolette (4 October 2021). "Judge Academy 2022 Announcements". JudgeAcademy.com. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ "Wizards of the Coast and Judge Academy Partnership Ends | WPN". Wizards Play Network. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ a b "Judge Levels". MagicJudges.org.
- ^ a b c "Keeping the Law of Magic: the Gathering". escapistmagazine.com. The Escapist. December 2018.
- ^ Vyper, Jake. "New MTG policy for Magic Judges allowing takebacks from players". epicstream.com.
- ^ Ullman, Alex (28 January 2019). "News Brief: Comprehensive Rules Update, Judge Policy Changes,..." channelfireball.com.
- ^ "Player Investigations Committee". MagicJudges.org.
- ^ "Suspended DCI Memberships". wizards.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ^ a b Griepp, Milton (27 August 2017). "Update on 'Magic: the Gathering' judges' lawsuits". icv2.com.
- ^ "Joint Motion for Settlement", Yale v. Wizards of the Coast LLC (Court Filing), no. 5:15-cv-06337, Docket 55, N.D.C.A., 31 December 2015
- ^ "Joint Motion for Settlement", Shaw v. Wizards of the Coast, LLC (Court Filing), no. 5:16-cv-01924, Docket 83, N.D.C.A., 12 April 2016
- ^ Byellin, Jeremy (22 April 2016). ""Magic" card game "Judges" sue for lost wages; claim to be employees". thomsonreuters.com. Thomson Reuters.