Judge Philosophies
Aaliyah Castro - LEE
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Abbey Barnes (she/her's) - USM
not as dumb as I look
Abby Weiss - ACU
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Abigail Poling - HPU
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Adam Naiser - UAMONT
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Adam Kinder - LEE
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Alex Gibson - BPCC
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Alexandria Ritchie - ACU
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Ali Richard - Jeff State
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Alysia Wilson - LSUS
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Alyssa Rodgers - OKBU
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Amari Washington - ORU
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Amber Whitehead - MSU
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Anastasia Ortiz - MTSU
Andy Luster - PVAMU
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Anna Ward - UAMONT
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Anthony Copeland - LTU
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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.
Aria Giacona - LTU
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Ashley Hale (she/her) - LTU
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Aurora King (she/her) - UCA
Austin Robison - BPCC
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Autumn Wibright - VSU
Avery Rankin - ORU
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Avry Wood - OKBU
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Ben Chippeaux - OKBU
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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.
Benjamin Freasier - LTU
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Blake Traylor - Belmont Abbey
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Bob Alexander - BPCC
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Braxton Clark - HPU
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Brianna Harperhoward - NSU
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Brittany Chapa - ACU
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Brittany Hamilton - UAMONT
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Brittney Harris - LSUS
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Brynne Wilson - OKBU
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Caitlin Hurlbut - OKBU
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Cameron Hodge - Jeff State
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Canyon McGee - OKBU
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Carlos Powell - MTSU
Carson Kroenke - OKBU
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Cedrica Ellison - Belmont Abbey
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Charlie McBride - LTU
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Chidinma Brown - PVAMU
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Chip Myers - SMU
Christian Thomas - UTK
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Christine Courteau - LEE
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Codey King - UTK
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Cody Levi - UTK
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Colby Walker - LSUS
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Collin Staten - MSU
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Constance Smith - ATU
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DOUGLAS REHM (he/his) - USM
Damon Thomas - MSU
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Daniel Davis - Jeff State
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David Issacs - LSUS
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Diego Moreno - LEE
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Dom Mercer (He/Him) - LSUS
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Donna Belcher - PVAMU
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Doug Hall - Casper College
IPDA: The intent of this event is to be accessbile to the layperson. This is 100% how I look at and judge this event. Detailed procedural arguments have no place in this event. I will not vote on kritik and will likely reject a debater attempting these positions. If the procedural argument is accessbile and well linked, I may consider the reasoning. Other than that, I am looking for fluency of speech, sound logic, good argumentation and research, and an appropriate CX. As for rate, my rule in IPDA is if I can't flow it, I won't. Don't rush! I also, always, look for mutual respect between debaters. Treat each other with kindness.
LD/Parli: I will vote on procedural arguments IF they are well linked and make logical sense. If procedural arguments are being run as a strategy, and do not link well to the resolution in question, I'm not likely to consider it; this especially applies to Kritik positions. Linking a Kritik and offering an alt are critical. Without those two things, I will not vote for K. While I don't necessarily like or respect spreading, I will flow what I can.
Doug Bedsaul - MSU
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Dylan Proctor - MSU
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EDEN ORWELL (she/they) - USM
Eli Stroud (they/them) - UCA
Elijah Biedinger - ACU
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Elizabeth McDowell - LTU
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Emilie Vann - OKBU
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Emily Phillips - MSU
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Emily Mikkelsen - Belmont Abbey
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Emily Erwin - OKBU
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Emma Chocholaty - OKBU
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Emma Waite - SMU
Emma Busby - OKBU
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Emmitt Antwine - LTU
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Eric Swartz - Belmont Abbey
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Ervin Fuller - LEE
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Esmeralda Maldonado - HPU
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Ethan Harriel - MSU
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Graham Christophel - MTSU
Haley Mims-Crawford - UAMONT
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Hannah Hagen - SMU
Hayden Wallace - LSUS
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I.G. Lampert - ADC
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Ian Mikkelsen - Belmont Abbey
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Imani Jackson - OKBU
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Isabelle Robertson - Belmont Abbey
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Iyanna Marshall - USM
Don't ground shift, don't spread, impact it out.
J.A. Patterson - ADC
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Jachin McDonald - OKBU
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Jacob Bryan - OKBU
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Jade Stauffer - OKBU
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Jaden Spaulding - UAMONT
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James McPheeters - OKBU
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James Kaiser - MSU
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Jayce Burney (he/him) - UCA
Jerry McCauley - LSUS
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Joe Mego - MTSU
John Barhorst - MTSU
Jonathan Bridenbaker - VSU
Jordan Kaiser - NWACC
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Joseph Boone - VSU
Joshua Hendricks (they/them) - USM
Joshua Morgan - OKBU
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KELLI KIRKLAND (she/her's) - USM
KLAUS BERRY - USM
Kara Taylor - LTU
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Kat Gainey - MSU
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Kathy Miller - UAMONT
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Katie McKenzie - LTU
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Kayleigh Guffey - Belmont Abbey
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Kelvin Thomas - Jeff State
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Kendrick Kruskie - LTU
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Kipp Gehris - MSU
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Kristin Magar - OKBU
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Lacey Gulley - LEE
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Laramie Snow - OKBU
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Lauren Turner - OKBU
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Leah Sparkman - LEE
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Leslie Salley - LSUS
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Lillia Poveda - UTK
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Mallory Taylor (She/Her) - LSUS
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Margaret Dorsey - MSU
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Marquita Chambers - BPCC
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Mary Catherine Procell - LSUS
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Mary Rose Stepnowski - Belmont Abbey
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Maxwell Moore - ACU
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McKenzie McClain - UAMONT
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Megan Smith* - LTU
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Miura Rempis - MTSU
Morgan Martin - OKBU
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Naam Chand - ORU
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Nate Goldstein - LTU
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Nathan Marshall - ACU
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Nathaniel Williams - MSU
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Nicholas Patwardhan - MSU
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Oliver Martins - UTK
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Patrick Richey (he/him/Dr.) - MTSU
Meh. I've judged a few rounds. I hate rudeness and disrespect in rounds. Keep it nice and cordial. Don't BS me. I like cats!!!!
Patrick McKenzie - MSU
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Rachel Zernicek - ORU
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Rebecca Marcucci - Belmont Abbey
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Rigo Ruiz - LEE
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Rishona Raub - HPU
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Ryan Straughan - BPCC
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Ryan Jarratt - MSU
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Sabrina Duff - LSUS
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Scarlett Miller - Casper College
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Sheila Ritchie (she/her) - ACU
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Shelbi McNulty - PVAMU
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Sian Fox - UCA
Steve Garcia - LTU
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Steven Barhorst - MTSU
Sydney Robbins - MTSU
Sydney Collier - OKBU
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TJ Reynolds - ACU
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Taylor Enslin - SMU
Thomas Sorensen - ACU
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Tommy James (He/Him) - LSUS
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Ty Young - UAMONT
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Tyler Burkhardt - SMU
Vanessa Rangel - UAMONT
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Violet Webber - OKBU
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Zach Young - UAMONT
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jacob Humphries - Jeff State
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kathleen hill - OKBU
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madison peel - OKBU
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