Level 3 judges command the respect of players and other judges as authorities on the practice of judging and the ways in which they accomplish judging-related tasks. They have an understanding of effective leadership in a broader context both within and outside of tournaments. They are trusted by the judges whom they lead. A deficient judge may lack leadership capacity, or may confuse authority granted by a position (e.g. Head Judge) with leadership in general. They may have problems commanding the respect of players or judges in their local community. An exemplary judge is one who is acutely aware of their leadership capacity and capabilities. The judge is able to exert their influence on the community in a supportive and positive way, often subtly and through the orchestration of others. They inspire other judges and motivates them to contribute toward the goals of the Judge Program.

Read more about Leadership, Presence and Charisma.

Level 3 judges understand that organized play requires teamwork with other judges, players, stores, organizers and venues. They can follow as well as lead. They demonstrate solid and consistent commitment. They are worthy ambassadors of the Judge Program who cooperate with their Regional Coordinators. They are recognized as fair and firm arbiters of disputes and display significant diplomacy in disagreements, both in person and in other venues such as the internet. They are mature, trustworthy, punctual, and amiable. They are rarely, if ever, regarded as being negative, tardy, irritating, lazy, etc. A deficient candidate may display difficulty in cooperating with others, a lack of teamwork when not in a leadership role, or have a history of negativity or tardiness. They may have lapses of diplomacy and tact, either in person or in internet-based venues. They may display a problematically low maturity level that affects their performance at events. If the panel believes that the candidate would not be a good ambassador for the Judge Program, the candidate is likely deficient. An exemplary candidate is equally comfortable in both leading and supporting roles, can collaborate well with judges, players and others in a variety of settings, and is frequently sought after by fellow judges and tournament organizers for their exceptional attitude and contribution to events. They are highly regarded for diplomacy and tact in disputes, and is an excellent ambassador for the Judge Program and Magic in general.

Read more about Teamwork and Diplomacy and about Maturity.

Level 3 judges understand the underlying philosophies that inform the Magic Tournament Rules, Infraction Procedure Guide, Judging at Regular REL documents (MTR, IPG, and the JAR) and other policies relevant to tournament operations and judging. They can effectively critique these philosophies and policies in the context of improving the Judge Program. Level 3 judges know the importance of adhering to policy, but can also identify circumstances where policy is unclear, absent, or contrary to the spirit of the Judge Program’s practices. A deficient judge applies policies incorrectly or has philosophical views regarding policies that run contrary to the Judge Program’s most basic principles. They may be unable to explain policy to players and other judges, and may have little to no grasp of why policy is written the way it is. An exemplary judge has an impressive knowledge of penalties and policies and demonstrates a careful consideration of their underlying philosophies. They are capable of offering critical analysis of policies and judge practices that is particularly constructive and helpful.

Read more about Penalty and Policy Philosophy.

Level 3 judges are self-reflective and capable of assessing their own strengths and weaknesses. They can effectively identify areas for their own improvement beyond superficial practices such as rules knowledge, and they demonstrate insight regarding their own judge practices. A deficient judge’s self-reviews lack depth, detail, or accuracy. They may be unable to assess their own performance in meaningful ways. An exemplary judge is one who enters self-reviews into JudgeApps regularly, shows deep insight into their own judging practice, and is able to identify specific strategies for improvement.

Read more about Self-Evaluation.

Level 3 judges improve the judging communities in their local regions through active recruitment, training, mentoring, and reviewing of other judges. This mentorship is tailored to the needs of the judges being mentored and results in measurable improvement in those judges. This is accomplished directly at events, and is accompanied by written reviews on a regular basis. The reviews they write are professional, constructive, detailed, and helpful to the judge reviewed. They cover a wide variety of skills, attitudes, and abilities in their reviews. They are able to give feedback to judges of higher level. Mentoring can also take shape outside of events through a variety of channels (forums, mailing lists, IRC, direct dialogue with other judges, etc). A deficient candidate shows little to no active mentorship, or mentorship that is clearly ineffective. They review infrequently or assesses other judges very superficially. their reviews may lack substance, depth, and detail. The reviews may show evidence that the candidate only ever assesses a very small selection of skills in other judges. They show little effort to develop their local community. An exemplary candidate is a prolific reviewer, is consistently detailed in their reviews and feedback, and merges their evaluation of other judges with their mentorship of them seamlessly. The candidate is also insightful and constructive when reviewing or critiquing judges of higher level. their influence as a mentor likely extends beyond a local community of judges.

Read more about Assessing and Mentoring other judges.

Level 3 judges can describe the roles of Level 1, 2, and 3 judges and the qualities that make good judges at those levels. They have expectations for judges at each level that are consistent with the philosophies of the Judge Program. They are aware of and understand recent developments and changes within the program. A deficient judge has expectations and views of the Judge Program’s structure that are incorrect or inconsistent with the program’s philosophies. The judge may have expectations for other judges that are significantly out of step for one or more of the judge levels. The judge may be unaware of or misapplying recent developments in the Judge Program. An exemplary judge is one who, in addition to understanding the structure and philosophy of the Judge Program, is also able to offer constructive opinions on how to improve the program going forward. their views reflect an understanding of the current needs of the program and areas where deficiencies or areas for improvement may be worth exploring.

Read more about Program Construction and Philosophy.

Level 3 judges can perform under pressure, maintaining a calm and focused demeanor at all times. They can handle leadership duties without allowing stress or pressure to adversely affect performance. They are capable of managing conflict as it arises between players, judges, event staff, etc, and they can do so without displaying signs of stress, doubt, or panic. A deficient judge is unable to handle the varied demands of an event while in a position of authority without having stress or pressure affect their performance. When under pressure, the judge may become noticeably affected, unable to maintain their composure or focus. They go “on tilt” easily. An exemplary judge is one whose performance actually improves under stress. They thrive when under pressure, making effective decisions while maintaining attention on numerous aspects of the tournament. They rarely, if ever, appear to be negatively impacted by the pressures of an event and all its challenges.

Read more about Stress and Conflict Management.

Level 3 judges can identify instances where an investigation for potential cheating, fraud, etc. is appropriate. They can ask probing questions in a timely and productive manner, and arrive at an appropriate conclusion that protects the integrity of the event and shows respect and professionalism to the parties involved. When a disqualification is warranted, Level 3 judges are capable of issuing one efficiently, unapologetically, and without disruption to the rest of the event. A deficient judge does not investigate beyond the basic resolution of the situation presented during a judge call, or investigates ineffectively. The judge may take an excessive amount of time, or may arrive at decisions that are inappropriate to the situation. An exemplary judge is highly effective at investigating a player’s intentions. They are acutely aware of situations and cues during a judge call that indicate a need to pursue further investigation. Questioning is effective and efficient, and the judge is able to effectively assess a situation using information beyond the basic testimony of players involved (e.g. non-verbal cues, game state, player motivation, etc).

Read more about Investigations

Level 3 judges are experts in the area of running large events using a team structure. They can fill a variety of judge roles and have a clear understanding of what is required of each team to support an efficient, enjoyable tournament. A deficient candidate may be sufficient in one role, but struggle when assigned a different team. They may exhibit a lack of awareness of the tournament’s needs and be unable to handle the magnitude of tasks at Grand Prix level events. An exemplary candidate can excel while leading any team and is often sought after for advice on best practices and new techniques. They are able to support the event from any role and often aids others in identifying essential tasks before they are missed.

Read more about Logistics and Tournament Operations.