How can i become a judge?

[Kanabo]

i am really interested in becoming a judge, and am willing to put the time and effort into becoming one, but i just dont know where to start.

can anone help me?

[Anusien]

i am really interested in becoming a judge, and am willing to put the time and effort into becoming one, but i just dont know where to start.

can anone help me?
Find a judge who is running tournaments in your area, and send them an e-mail saying you're interested. Or go to a tournament run with a sanctioned judge, and tell them you're interested.

You may want to start by taking the Rules Advisor exam at http://judge.wizards.com.

And yes, spelling and grammar help make a good impression.

Edit: Why do you want to be a judge?

[Aggro_zombies]

Okay, okay, fine. Here (http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=judge/becoming/how).

[Jeff Kruchkow]

Ok so I also have been working toward becoming a judge, partly because my shop needs one and partly so when I tell people I know what Im talking about they will listen.
Anywho, AGs link is solid and i would suggest lots of practice on rules advisor tests as the rules tests are tricky.

Also, is anyone here a judge in North Carolina? I need someone to administer the test for me / let me shadow them at tourneys.

[Anusien]

partly because my shop needs one
A shop doesn't really need a judge. It's nice to have, but you don't have to be certified to run events. Becoming a TO is much easier.

and partly so when I tell people I know what Im talking about they will listen.
For this, the Rules Advisor test is sufficient.

Try the judge locator in judge.wizards.com if you need to find judges to ask for help/mentorship. I know of quite a few active judges in NC. Damion Guy is a level 2 eager to certify/build up a local program. He'd be your first point of contact.

If you haven't certed by then, consider working this event and asking to test: http://forums.starcitygames.com/viewtopic.php?t=320997

[Jeff Kruchkow]

A shop doesn't really need a judge. It's nice to have, but you don't have to be certified to run events. Becoming a TO is much easier.

For this, the Rules Advisor test is sufficient.

Try the judge locator in judge.wizards.com if you need to find judges to ask for help/mentorship. I know of quite a few active judges in NC. Damion Guy is a level 2 eager to certify/build up a local program. He'd be your first point of contact.

If you haven't certed by then, consider working this event and asking to test: http://forums.starcitygames.com/viewtopic.php?t=320997

There more to it than that but yeah, ill have a look at the locator.

[santeria]

apparently its super easy to become a judge. the woman who owns the shop where I play magic knows literally ZERO about magic and shes a level 3 judge. of the two guys that actually have anything to do with magic, one is also a level 3 judge and constantly makes horrible rulings all the time. I often have to correct him, he has to look them up online or ask several other players. so it really cant be that hard, that or there must be some way to bullshit some paperwork somewhere and send it into wizards. but I have no idea how the testing process works, so I couldnt tell you.

[godryk]

They can't be level 3 judges, seriously... it can be relatively easy to become a level 1 judge, but further levels require a lot of work and perseverance: judging at big events, recommendations, interviews... Anyone can tell you.

[Skeggi]

apparently its super easy to become a judge. the woman who owns the shop where I play magic knows literally ZERO about magic and shes a level 3 judge. of the two guys that actually have anything to do with magic, one is also a level 3 judge and constantly makes horrible rulings all the time. I often have to correct him, he has to look them up online or ask several other players. so it really cant be that hard, that or there must be some way to bullshit some paperwork somewhere and send it into wizards. but I have no idea how the testing process works, so I couldnt tell you.
As Godryk said, don't believe anything in this post. It's not 'super easy' to become a judge. You start at level 0 and have to earn level 1 by actually proving you know the rules pretty well. Level 2 judges know the rules very well and have alot of experience, and level 3 judges are quite rare. They don't just pop up here and there and start making terrible rulings. Either they are level 3 judges and in that case they are probably right about what they say, or they're no judges. Which is more plausible.

[Anusien]

apparently its super easy to become a judge. the woman who owns the shop where I play magic knows literally ZERO about magic and shes a level 3 judge. of the two guys that actually have anything to do with magic, one is also a level 3 judge and constantly makes horrible rulings all the time. I often have to correct him, he has to look them up online or ask several other players. so it really cant be that hard, that or there must be some way to bullshit some paperwork somewhere and send it into wizards. but I have no idea how the testing process works, so I couldnt tell you.
What are their names?

[Dan Turner]

What are their names?

this you can look up level 3 judges on the website really easily. I am a level 1 and its a bitch just to try and get my level 2 since there are not enough events here to qualify me.

[santeria]

do you have the link where I can look them up ? I would like to do so, to see if the owner was either flat out lying to a customer or if they cheated somehow. I dont want to give their names incase they read this site, I've given them links to it before. and I dont really trust anyone here, even the judges after that bit of nonsense where cdr said all judges are infallible and make no errors ever.

[Skeggi]

even the judges after that bit of nonsense where cdr said all judges are infallible and make no errors ever.
Well, judges do make mistakes (not often, mind you, but it happens), but you still have to obey their ruling.

[Meddling Pimp]

do you have the link where I can look them up ?

Here's the link to the judges in your area. You can also search specific names from the judge center.

http://judge.wizards.com/people.aspx?region=~&country=~


_______________________________________________________

I, too, am interested in becoming a judge. Unfortunately, there aren't any near me (which is part of the reason I want to get certified).

[santeria]

[QUOTE=Meddling Pimp;406486]Here's the link to the judges in your area. You can also search specific names from the judge center.

http://judge.wizards.com/people.aspx?region=~&country=~


the DCI login page ? ha, see thats funny too. the owner who is supposedly the level 3 judge is the person who signed me up for and activated my account two years ago. I know the exact email and password I gave him.

I never bothered to check until I never got my foil cryptic. they tell me they dont know what happened. they said I just must not have played in enough events to have earned one. I said even if I didnt, why cant I login ? they said they dont know.

I wrote dci@wizards twice about it and nobody will reply to my email. maybe they think Im trying to phish that account or maybe thats not the correct email to write for this problem. I dont know.

[Raptor]

apparently its super easy to become a judge. the woman who owns the shop where I play magic knows literally ZERO about magic and shes a level 3 judge. of the two guys that actually have anything to do with magic, one is also a level 3 judge and constantly makes horrible rulings all the time. I often have to correct him, he has to look them up online or ask several other players. so it really cant be that hard, that or there must be some way to bullshit some paperwork somewhere and send it into wizards. but I have no idea how the testing process works, so I couldnt tell you.

"Hey guys, I know a judge who isn't good, so all judge must be bad !"
Seriously, you're so logical, do you realise that you can insult some judges' hard work in your sentence ?

Anyway, I know some judges and they all do correct rulings. I only know a few people that really had a bad experience with ruling. So either way, you're not lucky or lying.

Sorry for off topic, Kanabo, and good luck becoming a judge !

[Anusien]

If you're having trouble logging in, dci@wizards.com is not the appropriate e-mail address. Try sending in something at Customer Service (http://wizards.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wizards.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_sid=pTs3LzOj). They were pretty good at fixing my MPR issues.

If you have grievances about specific judges, this is not the right forum. Feel free to contact me privately.

@Meddling Pimp: Where are you located? I might be able to help you find an event to test at.

[santeria]

I didnt start that thread out with some long drawn out dramatic story. just a simple question. as a player, I felt like I got screwed over. I think that cops sometimes think they are above the law, but DCI judges, wtf ? I didnt know I should have gone to the head judge of the whole event, not just the head judge for the legacy side event. I'd never been to a GP before.

if anything I had hoped cdr would either take a step back and not be biased or let someone else handle it. but again, from my point of view, it felt like the total shaft. from yet another judge, seriously.

I am fucking hostile and angry and extremely frustrated and the slightest bit of shit sends me into a rage. the last several months of my life have been shit, from magic, to my home life to anywhere I go. I cannot get any rest or relaxation anywhere and I am about to crack. I have nightmares every night and more than likely Im going to get banned here any day now, but whatever, thats life.

[Meddling Pimp]

@Meddling Pimp: Where are you located? I might be able to help you find an event to test at.

Thank you. I'm in Charlotte, NC.

I'm currently a Rules Advisor and have passed the Level 1 practice online (in my first attempt).

[Anusien]

In late 2010, there is a SCG $5k in Charlotte.

Check the PTQ Schedule (http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/events.aspx?x=mtgcom/protour/sanjuan10-northamerica); there is one in Greensboro in March and perhaps ones in other states you can drive to.

Get in touch with Damion Guy off the judge center, and ask him for judging opportunities near you.

Heck, Charlotte to Richmond isn't that bad of a drive for a double event weekend. Get in touch with the SCG folks and see if you could work a large prerelease and still be able to play in the Sunday one if you want.

[Anusien]

I didnt know I should have gone to the head judge of the whole event, not just the head judge for the legacy side event. I'd never been to a GP before.
You shouldn't, and can't. The Head Judge of an event is the Head Judge. There are no appeals past that person, regardless of whether it's a side event, an FNM, or Worlds.

[Meddling Pimp]

Get in touch with Damion Guy off the judge center, and ask him for judging opportunities near you.

Thank you. I added him on Facebook and we're talking.

[santeria]

You shouldn't, and can't. The Head Judge of an event is the Head Judge. There are no appeals past that person, regardless of whether it's a side event, an FNM, or Worlds.

I dont know, I was just going off of what someone else told me. the judge of the legecy side event was a level 2, but the judge of that whole GP was a level 5.

[dorsch]

The level of a judge do only matter whether he or she gets chosen to be the Headjudge but have nothing to do with appeals. The level grants no official authority, higher rank or final decision in a tournament setup, even though most judges would ask higher levels for advice and help in any difficult cases.

The judge levels 2 or above don't even reflect much the amount of rules knowledge but other important qualities.

You might only appeal to the Headjudge of the Tournament you are playing in, no matter if there are some other Tozrnaments near you with more experienced Judges.

[santeria]

If you're having trouble logging in, dci@wizards.com is not the appropriate e-mail address. Try sending in something at Customer Service (http://wizards.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wizards.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_sid=pTs3LzOj). They were pretty good at fixing my MPR issues.


do you have an actual email address to someone who can sort out my DCI issues. seeing as dci@wizards.com is apparently the wrong email to write to for issues with dci info.

[santeria]

what, I didnt hear you. did you say you didnt know ?