83:(a part of Wizards of the Coast, originally standing for Duelists Convocation International) was created to organize the competitive aspects of the game, and created the original tournament policy rules as well as the original five-level Judge system. At the time, this system was directly administered by the DCI and Wizards of the Coast, managing testing, performance reviews, and reports. Candidates would take an exam and be assigned a level from one to three based on their score. Levels 4 and 5 were more experienced or senior leaders, and were assigned by Wizards of the Coast. Candidates could attend a
134:
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. 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.
160:. Judges alleged that because their work was directed by and done to benefit Wizards of the Coast, that they should be considered employees and entitled to hourly wages, overtime pay, and similar benefits and protections. Wizards of the Coast replied that the judges in question were doing work for local game stores and regional tournament organizers, had no relationship with Wizards of the Coast, and that in any event, their participation in the judge program was voluntary. Both cases were settled prior to trial.
22:
138:
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.
94:
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. Initially fees were up to $ 400 a year (plus tax) to include twice-yearly shipments of judge
90:
Over time, the program has grown and changed. The program is now independently organized, with a three-level system, its own method for selecting leadership, and incorporating many of the functions that were previously run by the DCI. Judges now apply for events months in advance, and generally spend
151:
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
137:
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
133:
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
116:. They learn more advanced rules, as well as the penalties and fixes that are required to keep these more competitive events fair. Level 3 Judges are certified to judge all events, including taking on more difficult roles such as leading a team or head judging at a
95:
promotional cards. Fees were waived in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic From 2022, a flat fee of $ 75 per year was implemented, no longer including promotional cards. As of
October 2023, Wizards of the Coast has ended its partnership with Judge Academy.
124:
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.
103:
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.
107:
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
71:, the game's original sanctioning body, but has since become an independent, peer-driven organization, selecting its own leadership. In 2019, a new corporation, Judge Academy LLC, took up responsibility for the program.
536:
120:
or Pro Tour. They are tested on leadership skills, more advanced investigation techniques, and their ability to train and evaluate other judges. Many Level 3 Judges also lead projects outside of events.
163:
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
642:
112:
and of how to resolve common mistakes. Level 2 Judges are also certified for more competitive events, such as events that qualify competitors on the path to the
91:
months or years judging events locally - independently or with a mentor - before being recruited to larger events such as Grand Prix and Pro Tours.
240:
517:
326:
201:
448:
498:
60:
593:
117:
307:
344:
666:
113:
84:
79:
The Judge
Program has existed for almost as long as Magic: The Gathering itself. An organization called the
59:
is an independent organization that trains, certifies, and manages Judges, the tournament officials who run
36:. The reason given is: Needs to be updated with post-2019 developments and the transition to Judge Academy.
671:
226:
109:
80:
68:
31:
248:
553:
271:
153:
571:
397:
423:
285:
164:
64:
8:
38:
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
209:
475:
184:
660:
615:(Court Filing), no. 5:15-cv-06337, Docket 55, N.D.C.A., 31 December 2015
370:
87:, work as a volunteer, and take the exam at the conclusion of the weekend.
67:. The Judge Program was founded early in the game's history as part of the
630:(Court Filing), no. 5:16-cv-01924, Docket 83, N.D.C.A., 12 April 2016
157:
643:""Magic" card game "Judges" sue for lost wages; claim to be employees"
625:
537:"News Brief: Comprehensive Rules Update, Judge Policy Changes,..."
610:
518:"New MTG policy for Magic Judges allowing takebacks from players"
449:"Wizards of the Coast and Judge Academy Partnership Ends | WPN"
146:
493:
491:
489:
594:"Update on 'Magic: the Gathering' judges' lawsuits"
233:
486:
34:may be compromised due to out-of-date information
658:
587:
585:
272:"So you say you want to judge at a Grand Prix?"
528:
634:
582:
509:
327:"Judge Exams are available through JudgeApps"
196:
194:
177:
227:"Program Coordinators - Official Resources"
156:and similar legislation in the US state of
278:
619:
604:
564:
499:"Keeping the Law of Magic: the Gathering"
470:
468:
324:
191:
128:
640:
396:Apraez, Nicolette (29 September 2020).
305:
659:
591:
534:
465:
421:
395:
299:
247:. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from
208:. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from
221:
219:
147:Independent Contractor Classification
422:Apraez, Nicolette (4 October 2021).
398:"Judge Academy Response to COVID-19"
318:
263:
15:
546:
13:
424:"Judge Academy 2022 Announcements"
325:Fernandes, Louis (23 March 2018).
216:
57:Magic: The Gathering Judge Program
14:
683:
641:Byellin, Jeremy (22 April 2016).
628:Shaw v. Wizards of the Coast, LLC
592:Griepp, Milton (27 August 2017).
554:"Player Investigations Committee"
515:
269:
613:Yale v. Wizards of the Coast LLC
535:Ullman, Alex (28 January 2019).
241:"Judge Certification: Daily MTG"
141:
20:
626:"Joint Motion for Settlement",
611:"Joint Motion for Settlement",
441:
415:
389:
363:
306:Baranay, Paul (16 March 2017).
505:. The Escapist. December 2018.
337:
308:"Launching JudgeApps Reviews!"
1:
345:"Future of the Judge Program"
286:"Judge Levels - Redefinition"
170:
98:
7:
572:"Suspended DCI Memberships"
10:
688:
74:
63:of the trading card game
154:Fair Labor Standards Act
578:. Wizards of the Coast.
288:. MagicJudges.org. 2016
165:Dungeons & Dragons
152:were based around the
129:Role in Organized Play
212:on December 30, 2014.
667:Magic: The Gathering
503:escapistmagazine.com
453:Wizards Play Network
65:Magic: The Gathering
540:channelfireball.com
371:"July 29, 2019 FAQ"
672:Sports officiating
649:. Thomson Reuters.
647:thomsonreuters.com
229:. MagicJudges.org.
202:"What is a Judge?"
187:. MagicJudges.org.
53:
52:
679:
651:
650:
638:
632:
631:
623:
617:
616:
608:
602:
601:
589:
580:
579:
568:
562:
561:
550:
544:
543:
532:
526:
525:
513:
507:
506:
495:
484:
483:
472:
463:
462:
460:
459:
445:
439:
438:
436:
434:
428:JudgeAcademy.com
419:
413:
412:
410:
408:
402:JudgeAcademy.com
393:
387:
386:
384:
382:
375:JudgeAcademy.com
367:
361:
360:
358:
356:
341:
335:
334:
322:
316:
315:
303:
297:
296:
294:
293:
282:
276:
275:
267:
261:
260:
258:
256:
237:
231:
230:
223:
214:
213:
198:
189:
188:
181:
48:
45:
39:
32:factual accuracy
24:
23:
16:
687:
686:
682:
681:
680:
678:
677:
676:
657:
656:
655:
654:
639:
635:
624:
620:
609:
605:
590:
583:
570:
569:
565:
558:MagicJudges.org
552:
551:
547:
533:
529:
514:
510:
497:
496:
487:
480:MagicJudges.org
474:
473:
466:
457:
455:
447:
446:
442:
432:
430:
420:
416:
406:
404:
394:
390:
380:
378:
369:
368:
364:
354:
352:
349:MagicJudges.org
343:
342:
338:
331:MagicJudges.org
323:
319:
312:MagicJudges.org
304:
300:
291:
289:
284:
283:
279:
268:
264:
254:
252:
239:
238:
234:
225:
224:
217:
200:
199:
192:
183:
182:
178:
173:
149:
144:
131:
101:
77:
49:
43:
40:
37:
29:This article's
25:
21:
12:
11:
5:
685:
675:
674:
669:
653:
652:
633:
618:
603:
581:
563:
545:
527:
522:epicstream.com
508:
485:
476:"Judge Levels"
464:
440:
414:
388:
377:. 29 July 2019
362:
351:. 29 July 2019
336:
317:
298:
277:
262:
251:on 16 May 2014
232:
215:
190:
185:"Judge Levels"
175:
174:
172:
169:
148:
145:
143:
140:
130:
127:
100:
97:
76:
73:
51:
50:
28:
26:
19:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
684:
673:
670:
668:
665:
664:
662:
648:
644:
637:
629:
622:
614:
607:
599:
595:
588:
586:
577:
573:
567:
559:
555:
549:
541:
538:
531:
523:
519:
516:Vyper, Jake.
512:
504:
500:
494:
492:
490:
481:
477:
471:
469:
454:
450:
444:
429:
425:
418:
403:
399:
392:
376:
372:
366:
350:
346:
340:
332:
328:
321:
313:
309:
302:
287:
281:
273:
270:Zandi, Jeff.
266:
250:
246:
242:
236:
228:
222:
220:
211:
207:
203:
197:
195:
186:
180:
176:
168:
166:
161:
159:
155:
142:Recent events
139:
135:
126:
122:
119:
115:
111:
105:
96:
92:
88:
86:
82:
72:
70:
66:
62:
58:
47:
35:
33:
27:
18:
17:
646:
636:
627:
621:
612:
606:
597:
575:
566:
557:
548:
539:
530:
521:
511:
502:
479:
456:. Retrieved
452:
443:
431:. Retrieved
427:
417:
405:. Retrieved
401:
391:
379:. Retrieved
374:
365:
353:. Retrieved
348:
339:
330:
320:
311:
301:
290:. Retrieved
280:
265:
253:. Retrieved
249:the original
244:
235:
210:the original
205:
179:
162:
150:
136:
132:
123:
106:
102:
93:
89:
78:
56:
54:
41:
30:
576:wizards.com
274:. LegitMTG.
245:wizards.com
206:wizards.com
61:tournaments
44:August 2022
661:Categories
458:2024-04-19
292:2016-05-31
171:References
158:California
118:Grand Prix
110:game rules
433:26 August
407:26 August
381:26 August
355:26 August
99:Structure
598:icv2.com
255:22 March
114:Pro Tour
85:Pro Tour
75:History
435:2022
409:2022
383:2022
357:2022
257:2020
55:The
81:DCI
69:DCI
663::
645:.
596:.
584:^
574:.
556:.
520:.
501:.
488:^
478:.
467:^
451:.
426:.
400:.
373:.
347:.
329:.
310:.
243:.
218:^
204:.
193:^
167:.
600:.
560:.
542:.
524:.
482:.
461:.
437:.
411:.
385:.
359:.
333:.
314:.
295:.
259:.
46:)
42:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.