Judge Philosophies
A.J. Green - BPCC
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AJ Edwards (He/Him) - LSUS
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Abbi Arbuckle (she/her) - ACU
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Adam Winningham - UTK
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Adam Wilkins - Park
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Addie Hinze - BPCC
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Alex Vera - MSU
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Alexandria Ritchie - ACU
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Amanda Kronenberger - MSU
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Amorette Hinderaker - TCU
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Anamica Khadgi - MSU
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Andrew Grant - Harding
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Andrew Jones - LEE
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Anthony McMullen (he/him) - UCA
Experience: Competed for the University of Arkansas (2000-05); Coach at the University of Central Arkansas (2007-present). Most of that experience is in IPDA. While I appreciate and am happy to participate in other forms of debate, I'm an IPDA purist at heart and that governs my philosophy. I'm also a licensed attorney and spent seven years working for the Arkansas Court of Appeals. My job involved reading arguments with real world consequences. As such, while I am willing to vote for any well-reasoned argument, I'm a policymaker judge more than anything.
Delivery: I'm not a fan of speed. If I am judging a form of debate where that is the norm, I'll accept the burden of listen to rapid-fire delivery. Otherwise, don't do it. I often listen to podcasts at 1.5x speed. That's fine. Because it is a debate, I can probably listen to you at 2x speed and be fine. Anything faster, and you risk losing me. I find spreading unethical. Don't do it.
Speaker Points: Pretty arbitrary, especially if the ballot does not contain a rubric. If it is an IPDA round, I will have traditional criteria in mind: delivery, courtesy, organization, tone, logic, support, CX, refutation. In each category, you start with a 3 in each category. An average debater will receive a 4, a good debater will receive a 5. I won't go less than 3 in a category unless you "earn" it. Low point wins are a thing.
Case: The affirmative has the burden of proof, and the negative has the burden of clash. Failing to meet those burdens is an automatic L before we reach the rebuttals.
As a policymaker judge, I would prefer to give a win or loss based on the merits/demerits of the resolution itself, especially if it is form of debate where you get to choose the topic. I'll vote on topicality, but if it is close, I'll give the affirmative the benefit of the doubt. (If you are going to run T, I'm big on framer's intent.) I'm willing to vote on a K, but again, I would rather vote on the merits of the resolution itself. Like topicality, the affirmative will get the benefit of the doubt if it is close.
I flow the round. By the time we get to rebuttals, tell me why you won. Put out any fires created by your opponent's previous speech if necessary, but please don't go line by line. I'm very big on impact calculus, especially if the criterion is cost-benefit analysis, comparative advantage, or something similar.
Evidence: First, quality over quantity. Better evidence will always beat more evidence. Explain why your evidence supports your case. I do not enjoy rounds where debaters dump numbers and stats without context. Second, source presses are a waste of time unless (1) your opponent makes a spurious claim or (2) you have evidence that contradicts your opponents. If the only argument you have against an argument is that no source was provided, you will lose that argument unless you tell me why the lack of source is important.
Topic Disclosure: I'm not a fan of it, but I recognize that I'm in the minority. If the resolution is fairly straightforward and affirmative's interpretation is in line, I will not entertain an argument that the debate was unfair due to a lack of disclosure. If the resolution is metaphorical or otherwise vague, you should probably disclose.
While I will not punish a debate who does not disclose, I will DQ a debater who gives a false or misleading disclosure. At the same time, I believe that the affirmative is entitled to use the prep time as they see fit. If you plan takes you in a different direction, you are entitled to change your mind (especially if the negative pressed you for disclosure before you started prepping your case). But be reasonable. Doing so with twenty minutes of prep left is okay. Doing so with ten minutes left isn't.
NPDA debaters: I miss points of information. Please use them.
Athena Shead - UTK
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BPC #1 - BPCC
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BPC #2 - BPCC
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BPC #3 - BPCC
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BPC #4 - BPCC
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BPC #5 - BPCC
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Becky Turbeville - BPCC
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Ben Voth - SMU
Treat your opponents with affirming respect. Pursue the educational value of debate as an ethic. I have judged debates for over 30 years in various formats. I look forward to hearing your voice on this matter. I like good research and good delivery.
Ben Murray - UU
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Brandon Knight - WmCarey
Compete with dignity.
Breanna Prater - TCU
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Brennah Fohl (She/They) - LSUS
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Brittany Leanne - LSUS
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Caleb Atkins - UU
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Candice Gibson - BPCC
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Carlos Reyes - LEE
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Cassie Kutev - LEE
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Chloe Brownell (she/her) - ACU
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Chuck Rogers - MSU
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Coby Worley - LTU
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Cole Pawlaczyk - UTK
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Cooper Johnson - LSUS
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Courtney Parks - TCU
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DOUGLAS REHM (he/his) - USM
Daniel Davis (He/Him) - LSUS
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Delaney Johnston - BPCC
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Dom Mercer (He/Him) - LSUS
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Elijah Jarrell - UTK
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Emilie Vann - OKBU
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Emily Landry - BPCC
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Emma Jaramillo - LEE
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Emma Waite - SMU
Emmitt Antwine - LTU
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Gregory Self - DBU
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Halle Garner - UU
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Hannah Voss - LAC
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Hannah Moms - BPCC
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Hannah Daniels - MSU
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Hengal Zeleya - Harding
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Horace Spratley - BPCC
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Isabelle Marshall - UTK
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Jackson Kaiser - TCU
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Jaden Hansen - OKBU
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Jake Peace - ACU
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James McPheeters - OKBU
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James Willett - BPCC
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Jamie Hill - BPCC
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Janine Wilkins - Park
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Jascha Ely - DBU
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Jasmine Brossett - NSU
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Jennifer Igo - BPCC
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Jennifer Lofton - BPCC
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Jessi Boaz (she/her) - ACU
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Jewel Thomas (She/Her) - LSUS
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Joshua Morgan - OKBU
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Joshua Brooks - Harding
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Joshua Hendricks (they/them) - USM
Josiah Reed - LAC
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Jovanni Arellano - LEE
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Joy Smith - BPCC
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Julia Mixon - WmCarey
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Justin Hamilton - DBU
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Kale Rector (He/Him) - LSUS
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Kaleb Gauthier - NSU
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Kara Taylor - LTU
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Kimberly Truong - LEE
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Kylie Bennett - LAC
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Lacey Oakes - BPCC
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Leslie Alexander - BPCC
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Linda Gilbertson - WmCarey
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Lisa Calhoun - BPCC
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Logan Gibbs - TCU
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Luis Torres - LEE
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Lynn Foster - WmCarey
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Madison Biggerstaff - MSU
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Madison Plaisance - LTU
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Madison Peel - OKBU
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Mahogany Grissom - NSU
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Marcus Williams - MSU
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Mariah Parker - DBU
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Meeyah Davis - ACU
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Megan Veilleux - LSUS
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Melanie Lea - BPCC
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Michael Kirk - UU
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Miranda Flores - DBU
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Mitchell Sadler - OKBU
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Nathan Mustapha - LEE
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Neel Patel - LTU
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Nick Truitt - UU
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Nirmal Bhatt - MSU
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Omar Villarreal - WmCarey
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Owen Thurber - UTK
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Pamela Alba - DBU
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Patrick McKenzie - MSU
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Phillip Parker - NSU
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Phoebe Lim - LAC
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Price Morgan - SMU
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Rayne Duque - BPCC
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Rebecca Currie - LEE
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Roishene Johnson - BPCC
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Ruqayyah Smith - LSUS
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Ryan Jarratt - MSU
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Sam Scott - UU
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Sandra Willis-Theus - BPCC
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Sarah Coppola - UU
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Scot Loyd - OKBU
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Shanisha Ford (She/Her) - LSUS
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Shea Sherrick - LTU
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Shelby Cumpton - LAC
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Sofia Alcazar - DBU
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Stephanie Adkins - BPCC
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Steven Turner - BPCC
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Swasti Mishra - UTK
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Tara Hicks - BPCC
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Taylor Enslin - SMU
Tianna Andrews - BPCC
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Tommy James (He/Him) - LSUS
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Trakevious Thompson - WmCarey
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Trent Gilbertson - WmCarey
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Trey Gibson - BPCC
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Valerie Kirchoff - BPCC
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Victoria Watson - LAC
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Zara Collins - BPCC
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