JDC West 2027 takes place on Treaty Four Territory: The original lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, Nakota, Lakota, and the homeland of the Métis.

Dispute Resolution Process

JDC West relies on its exceptional levels of integrity and honesty in order to achieve its mission. The dispute resolution process provides a set of guidelines and protocols for individuals to follow when they identify situations absent of our core values.

A whistleblower is an individual or group associated with JDC West who reports an instance of dishonesty or other wrongdoing to a higher authority. All whistleblowers will remain anonymous unless they specifically request not to be. Although whistleblowers are anonymous by default, it is important to know that allowing yourself to be identified will enhance the dispute resolution process and will allow for a more thorough and fair resolution.

You can find the dispute form further down this page, following this policy text.

What defines wrongdoing or acts of dishonesty?

Wrongdoing and acts of dishonesty are defined as an individual, team, Captain, Godparent, Faculty Advisor, Organizing Committee member, volunteer, or judge purposely partaking in acts that are prohibited by the JDC West Competition Handbook. It is the responsibility of every attendee to understand which acts are prohibited. Some acts of dishonesty may include, but are not limited to:

  • Bringing in or using any resource or media source that contains prohibited information (i.e., USBs, textbooks, manuals, cheat sheets, unauthorized digital devices, etc.) to isolation or resolution;
  • Bringing any media (cellphones, pagers, smartphones, walkie-talkies, etc.) that may promote contact with sources outside of the resolution room (other students, delegates, Captains, judges, etc.);
  • Utilizing, copying, or downloading any pre-made presentation template not authorized by the Organizing Committee (made by either the delegate(s) or another individual);
  • Accessing any prohibited Internet sites throughout resolution, including but not limited to YouTube, the JDC West website, any website that must be accessed through a pay-wall, any website where a competitor has previously uploaded documents, etc.; and
  • Enabling or assisting any delegate, judge, volunteer, Organizing Committee member, Captain, or Godparent to commit any of the above actions.

Please keep in mind that teams should only file a dispute resolution if there is clear wrongdoing by another team/the OC and this action affects the integrity of the competition. If the OC believes a team is using filing dispute resolutions as a tactic to attack other teams or the matter at hand is fabricated or blown out of proportion, this could have negative effects on the filing team’s qualitative component of the Participation Scorecard for not embodying the values of JDC West and wasting time of the Organizing Committee and parties involved. Before filing, the filer should ask themselves “Am I prepared to defend my allegation?” and “Is this a matter better suited for a Feedback Form?”

To maintain individual team integrity and to prevent slander or misinformation, the following actions must be carried out in the order specified below to report an infraction:

  1. Within one hour of the incident, fill out a detailed Dispute Resolution Form. The dispute resolution form is contained on this webpage.
  2. Complete an oral interview, should it be requested.
  3.  Keep the details of the incident confidential from any other party. The Organizing Committee will rule on the legitimacy of the claim, issue a penalty if required, and contact the Captain(s) of the accused team to meet as soon as possible.
  4. After the penalty is issued, the Captain(s) of the affected team will have ninety minutes to issue an appeal to the Board of Directors if warranted.
  5. If an appeal is issued, the Board of Directors will rule on whether the penalty stands, is changed, or is reversed.

If you believe a school, volunteer, or the Organizing Committee has violated the Code of Conduct, please submit a Code of Conduct Violation complaint as outlined here. Code of Conduct violations are reviewed directly by the Board of Directors, and include items such as offensive or harmful language, harassment, discrimination, threats, violence, and damage to property.

Disputes must be submitted in accordance with the schedule below:

  • Friday, January 16 – No Disputes/Appeals Accepted
  • Saturday, January 17 – Disputes/Appeals Accepted between 8:00AM and 6:00PM
  • Sunday, January 18 – Disputes/Appeals Accepted between 9:00AM and 5:00PM

Disputes received outside the times outlined above will not be accepted. If a dispute is being submitted against the Organizing Committee, the Board of Directors will hold the final decision.

Filing a dispute against the Organizing Committee

To file a dispute against the Organizing Committee, the steps outlined above remain the same. Once a dispute is filed, the dispute will be directly sent to the Board for ruling. Please note that dispute resolutions should only be filed against the Organizing Committee if a member of the Organizing Committee displays negligence that affects the integrity of the competition.

Appeal Process

An appeal may be filed if the party/parties affected have a sincere belief that the Organizing Committee rendered its decision while ill-informed or if a communication error has taken place. It is advised that teams only file an appeal if they truly feel the precedence that it is filed under is relevant. Appeals that are deemed irrelevant by the Organizing Committee or Board of Directors after a final decision is made may result in a negative scoring. Before appeals are made, teams may request access to the original witness report.

Please send appeals via email to both directors@jdcwest.com and stakeholders@jdcwest.com.

Penalties

The Organizing Committee and/or Board of Directors is responsible for deciding which penalties will be given on a case-by-case basis, utilizing a resolution matrix to guide the determination of appropriate punishments or sanctions for rule breaks. The matrix takes into account the severity and nature of the violation, ensuring a fair and consistent approach. Note that the OC and BOD reserve the right to assess based on and act based on pointers outside the scope of the resolution matrix. Note that the OC will also provide to the BOD more specific portfolio plans for dealing with disputes (i.e. violation + resulting consequence). The Organizing Committee and/or Board of Directors reserve the right to provide no penalty to the accused team, should the complaint be frivolous. The decision made is final, and penalties must be fulfilled.

Severity Levels

  • Minor Infractions: Inadvertent or minor violations with limited impact on the competition.
  • Moderate Violations: Violations that may have a noticeable impact on fairness or the overall experience.
  • Major Offenses: Serious violations that significantly compromise the integrity of the competition.

Punishment Options

No BOD Involvement:
  • Verbal Warning: Issued for minor infractions or as a first response for moderate violations.
  • Written Warning: Formal documentation of the violation, serving as a more serious warning.
May include BOD Involvement for Support:
  • Point Deductions: Deduction of points in the competition standings based on the severity of the violation.
Mandatory BOD Involvement:
  • Disqualification from Specific Event: Disqualification from participating in a specific event related to the violation.
  • Disqualification from Overall Competition: Disqualification from the entire competition.
  • Ban from Future Participation: Prohibition from participating in future JDC West events.
Special Case BOD Involvement

For cases outlined below, the BOD sub-committee should involve the wider BOD if a Code of Conduct Violation is in question, and the OC should involve the BOD if a Dispute is in question:

  • The consequence entails a school dropping a place or a school getting disqualified.
  • There are legal concerns that may require strategic intervention to address and rectify.
  • There is potential for a public relations crisis for JDC West and/or a possibility of substantial negative impact on the public perception of JDC West.
No Punishment:

In some cases, after careful consideration and evaluation, it may be decided that no punishment is necessary.

Determining Punishments

The severity of the punishment will be determined by considering both the severity level of the violation and any previous violations by the same team or individual. The resolution matrix is a guide, and the sub-committee reserves the right to adjust punishments based on the unique circumstances of each case.