Marching Band Adjudicators

To ensure a fair and unbiased adjudication of bands participating in marching band shows held in Wisconsin that utilize WSMA rules and judging forms, assigned judges are governed by the following guidelines:

1. Affiliation: A judge should not knowingly be assigned or accept assignment to a marching band show that includes a band with which the judge has an affiliation. WSMA defines affiliation as the direct relationship between the judge and the band that involves any of the following circumstances during the current competitive season defined as June 1 through November 1:

• The judge has written/designed/taught any portion of the band’s show. This includes the musical score, drill, equipment work, choreography, props or any other musical/design elements not specifically stated.
• The judge has acted as consultant, teacher or volunteer for a band. This includes any time spent at a rehearsal where the judge offers suggestions to the director/staff or works with students in a formal or informal setting.
• The judge has children in the ensemble as performers.
• The judge is employed by the school district of the competing band.
• The judge has a spouse that is affiliated with a band

2. Reporting: It is expected that the judge will inform the WSMA Program Director and/or the Judge Assigner of any band affiliations following these guidelines:

• Prior to each competitive season the judge will be asked to disclose to the Judge Assigner and/or WSMA Program Director all affiliations with bands, based on the guidelines above, that participate in the Wisconsin marching band season. Assignments will be based on the information provided by the judge.
• A judge is expected to have knowledge of any and all shows that a band he/she has an affiliation intends to participate each season.
• The judge will inform the judge assigner and/or WSMA immediately with as much time as possible if there is an instance when a competitive band has decided to participate in a show after assignments are made and the judge is assigned to that same show.

3. Allowable Situations: It is recognized under the following situations that a judge may be assigned to a show if the situation for that assignment is appropriate based on the following guidelines:

• A judge can be assigned to the same competitive class as the band that he/she has an affiliation if that band is not competing in the show. Specifically, a judge can be assigned to a show in the north when a band that he/she has an affiliation is participating in the south.
• A judge can be assigned to a show if the band that he/she is affiliated with is performing in exhibition and there are circumstances that require for this provision to be considered. Circumstances include assigned judge illness or any other circumstances out of the control of the show sponsor, judge assigner and/or WSMA Program Director especially on the day of the competition.
• A judge is allowed to be assigned to a show where a child, sibling or other family member is employed as teacher/designer/instructor if the judge has not provided input to the family member under the provisions stated earlier and/or the relative does not reside in the same household. Whenever possible, the judge should be assigned to a different caption than that under the direct control of the relative.

4. Consequences: If the WSMA Program Director or the Judge Assigner is made aware of an infraction to these policies, the judge will be contacted. If there is evidence of the infraction, the WSMA Program Director and/or Judge Assigner will communicate directly with the judge. Consequences for an infraction(s) to the above guidelines will be as follows:

• First Offense: Formal letter of warning from WSMA.
• Second Infraction: The judge will be removed from all shows for the remainder of the season and not assigned to any shows the following season of the infraction.
• Third Infraction: Judge will not be assigned to any marching band show in Wisconsin for three seasons.
• Fourth Infraction: Judge will not be assigned to any marching band shows in Wisconsin for ten seasons.