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Requests for arbitration

Arbitration Committee proceedings Case requests
Request name Motions Initiated Votes
WPPilot   4 May 2015 {{{votes}}}
Complementary and Alternative Medicine   5 May 2015 {{{votes}}}
Open cases
Case name Links Evidence due Prop. Dec. due
Palestine-Israel articles 5 (t) (ev / t) (ws / t) (pd / t) 21 Dec 2024 11 Jan 2025
Recently closed cases (Past cases)

No cases have recently been closed (view all closed cases).

Clarification and Amendment requests
Request name Motions  Case Posted
Amendment request: American politics 2 none (orig. case) 15 January 2025
Amendment request: Crouch, Swale ban appeal none none 22 January 2025
Arbitrator motions

No arbitrator motions are currently open.

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About this page

Use this page to request the committee open an arbitration case. To be accepted, an arbitration request needs 4 net votes to "accept" (or a majority).

Arbitration is a last resort. WP:DR lists the other, escalating processes that should be used before arbitration. The committee will decline premature requests.

Requests may be referred to as "case requests" or "RFARs"; once opened, they become "cases". Before requesting arbitration, read the arbitration guide to case requests. Then click the button below. Complete the instructions quickly; requests incomplete for over an hour may be removed. Consider preparing the request in your userspace.

To request enforcement of an existing arbitration ruling, see Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Enforcement. To clarify or change an existing arbitration ruling, see Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Clarification and Amendment.


File an arbitration request


Guidance on participation and word limits

Unlike many venues on Misplaced Pages, ArbCom imposes word limits. Please observe the below notes on complying with word limits.

  • Motivation. Word limits are imposed to promote clarity and focus on the issues at hand and to ensure that arbitrators are able to fully take in submissions. Arbitrators must read a large volume of information across many matters in the course of their service on the Committee, so submissions that exceed word limits may be disregarded. For the sake of fairness and to discourage gamesmanship (i.e., to disincentivize "asking forgiveness rather than permission"), word limits are actively enforced.
  • In general. Most submissions to the Arbitration Committee (including statements in arbitration case requests and ARCAs and evidence submissions in arbitration cases) are limited to 500 words, plus 50 diffs. During the evidence phase of an accepted case, named parties are granted an automatic extension to 1000 words plus 100 diffs.
  • Sectioned discussion. To facilitate review by arbitrators, you should edit only in your own section. Address your submission to arbitrators, not to other participants. If you wish to rebut, clarify, or otherwise refer to another submission for the benefit of arbitrators, you may do so within your own section. (More information.)
  • Requesting an extension. You may request a word limit extension in your submission itself (using the {{@ArbComClerks}} template) or by emailing clerks-l@lists.wikimedia.org. In your request, you should briefly (in 1-2 sentences) include (a) why you need additional words and (b) a broad outline of what you hope to discuss in your extended submission. The Committee endeavors to act upon extension requests promptly and aims to offer flexibility where warranted.
    • Members of the Committee may also grant extensions when they ask direct questions to facilitate answers to those questions.
  • Refactoring statements. You should write carefully and concisely from the start. It is impermissible to rewrite a statement to shorten it after a significant amount of time has passed or after anyone has responded to it (see Misplaced Pages:Talk page guidelines § Editing own comments), so it is often advisable to submit a brief initial statement to leave room to respond to other users if the need arises.
  • Sign submissions. In order for arbitrators and other participants to understand the order of submissions, sign your submission and each addition (using ~~~~).
  • Word limit violations. Submissions that exceed the word limit will generally be "hatted" (collapsed), and arbitrators may opt not to consider them.
  • Counting words. Words are counted on the rendered text (not wikitext) of the statement (i.e., the number of words that you would see by copy-pasting the page section containing your statement into a text editor or word count tool). This internal gadget may also be helpful.
  • Sanctions. Please note that members and clerks of the Committee may impose appropriate sanctions when necessary to promote the effective functioning of the arbitration process.

General guidance

  • This page is for statements, not discussion.
  • Arbitrators or clerks may refactor or delete statements, e.g. off-topic or unproductive remarks, without warning.
  • Banned users may request arbitration via the committee contact page; don't try to edit this page.
  • Under no circumstances should you remove requests from this page, or open a case (even for accepted requests), unless you are an arbitrator or clerk.
  • After a request is filed, the arbitrators will vote on accepting or declining the case. The <0/0/0> tally counts the arbitrators voting accept/decline/recuse.
  • Declined case requests are logged at Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Index/Declined requests. Accepted case requests are opened as cases, and logged at Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Index/Cases once closed.


WPPilot

Initiated by Gamaliel (talk) at 21:29, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Involved parties

Confirmation that all parties are aware of the request
Confirmation that other steps in dispute resolution have been tried

Statement by Gamaliel

WPPilot was indefinitely blocked by the Committee today with no public notice or hearing. He had been blocked on May 2 by Drmies. Two threads were opened at WP:AN to challenge this block, but both were closed on the grounds that the matter was before UTRS. However, WPPilot has told me that he received no response from UTRS. There is no question that WPPilot has violated Misplaced Pages policies. However, he is also a hardworking editor who has made many positive contributions. He has expressed willingness to publicly admit his policy violations, work towards cleaning up the messes he has made, and make amends to the community. He should be given a chance to do so and given a chance to defend himself according to open and transparent procedures, a chance that every editor should have in this community. While I understand that some of the evidence in this matter must remain confidential, the entire matter cannot simply be handled behind closed doors, especially since it originated with the complaints of a disgruntled editor angry with WPPilot. WPPilot deserves better, the community deserves better, and this matter deserves a full and public hearing.

@Drmies: He has been turned away at AN and a UTRS, and now his block cannot be overturned by anyone except Arbcom. There's no other way for WPPilot to challenge the block, admit his mistakes, and return to editing. Cases have been weighed in public while considering private evidence, but the case shouldn't be completely private, especially since we have an editor willing to admit his mistakes and attempt to make amends. Maybe he should not return to editing, but he certainly deserves to be able to make his case in some open and transparent fashion. Gamaliel (talk) 22:37, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

@Thryduulf: I've seen much of the evidence and there's nothing about that evidence that indicates this can't be handled in a public and transparent fashion while keeping the private evidence private, as has been done in plenty of cases. Even if we have no interest in transparency here, what about an editor's right to challenge his block, or the community's right to make sure everything is on the up and up? Gamaliel (talk) 22:41, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement by WPPilot

Statement by Drmies

I'm not sure what we're doing here, esp. not since Gamaliel is well aware of the evidence. Let me just point out that "the entire matter ... originated with the complaints of a disgruntled editor angry with WPPilot" is untrue since Hafspajen has nothing to do whatsoever with the edits by Pilot and his previous account which led to the block, and I haven't shared that private (admin-only) evidence with Hafspajen. Drmies (talk) 22:23, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Gamaliel, "even if we have no interest in transparency here" is loaded with assumptions: of course we have an interest in transparency, but privacy concerns override these. If you want to drag Pilot through the mud even more, then by all means demand the evidence be made available. But as I pointed out on Pilot's talk page (they removed them), a few of the statements they made are simply untrue: for instance, some of the edits related to the private matter were made only weeks ago. In other words, transparency should start with Pilot--privately or otherwise. That "the community" doesn't always need to know everything is made abundantly clear by the very existence of the deletion and revdel tools. But the matter is really out of my hands since the block was taken over by ArbCom, so neither Hafspajen nor I are a party in this case. Appeals to ArbCom can be made in the usual way. Drmies (talk) 22:47, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement by Hafspajen

Statement by GregJackP

I am not involved, but question why an ArbCom block would require an after the fact case opened to review the block? I generally believe in an open process, but there are some facts that would warrant a closed process at times. That's what we elect ArbCom members to do, exercise their judgment.

This case should be declined. GregJackP Boomer! 22:51, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement from Harry Mitchell

Public discussion of this issue is not in anyone's best interests, least of all WPPilot's. I know it's frustrating when things can't be explained in public, but the system works because we trust ArbCom to make tough decisions in the best interests of Misplaced Pages. I was part of the discussion on the functionaries' mailing list and I can assure you that the block is sound. I hope WPP will return at some point, but for the time being his editing Misplaced Pages is not in Misplaced Pages's best interests. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts? 22:54, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement by Beeblebrox

I expect I don't have to explain this to the arbs, but apparently some others aren't getting it. There is private evidence involved. As such, the block cannot be appropriately reviewed by anyone without access to that evidence. So it makes perfect sense for it to be an arbcom block, and in fact I and others explicitly asked them to take it over after reviewing some of the private evidence, and I thank them for doing so. Keeping private things private is as much for the benefit of the blocked user as it is for Misplaced Pages, that's something to keep in mind in such situations. Please just decline this case as fast as possible, there is no need for a full case just because one or two users want to be "in on it". Beeblebrox (talk) 23:46, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement by Beyond My Ken

Echoing what has been written above, I see no reason for a case if little of the evidence can be discussed in public, and urge ArbCom to decline this request. BMK (talk) 04:31, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement by {Non-party}

Other editors are free to make relevant comments on this request as necessary. Comments here should address why or why not the Committee should accept the case request or provide additional information.

Clerk notes

This area is used for notes by the clerks (including clerk recusals).

WPPilot: Arbitrators' opinion on hearing this matter <0/5/0/0>-WPPilot-2015-05-04T22:25:00.000Z">

Vote key: (Accept/decline/recuse/other)

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Initiated by A1candidate at 01:53, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

Involved parties

Confirmation that all parties are aware of the request
Confirmation that other steps in dispute resolution have been tried

Statement by A1candidate

Over the past few months, I have bore witness to a recurring pattern of highly inappropriate and uncivil behavior of two longstanding administrators: JzG and Kww. On several unfortunate occasions, I have been at the receiving end of a diverse range of personal attacks, offensive insults, and false accusations thrown against me:

  • Kww has been engaging in a malicious campaign to eliminate me from Misplaced Pages. Beginning in early January 2015, he labelled me as an "accomplice" and plotted a case for arbitration against me. On 6 January 2015, he brought me in front of the Committee to face trial, stating that "dealing with these people as legitimate editors leads to unsatisfactory results" . Even after being warned by John not to accuse other editors of engaging in "the promotion of quackery" on various talk pages, Kww refused to back down from his campaign to discredit other editors and continued to accuse other editors of having a COI . He escalated the situation and accused me of dishonesty and "active deceit". After I denied these very serious and offensive insults to my personal integrity, he continued to imply that my edit summaries serve to "disguise the content and intent" of my edits.

Despite the serious accusations thrown at me by these administrators, I retain a clear conscience, and I am not an advocate of any particular treatment (certainly not in a financial sense). Nevertheless, my best efforts to put an end to these personal attacks against me have so far proved fertile. I tried to voice out these issues at WP:AE initially (since the talk pages were under discretionary sanctions), but my good faith attempts to highlight the problem was put down and I was accused of being "disruptive and likely tendentious". It is therefore my hope that this Committee will accept this case and hear me out. It is not my intention to disrupt or game the system, and I do not wish that these longstanding and experienced administrators be unfairly tried. All I hope is that their accusations against me and other editors may finally come to an end. -A1candidate 08:19, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement by JzG

Statement by Kww

I stand by my characterisation of A1candidate: he advocates pseudoscience and damages articles related to alternative medicine. The accusation of active deceit came about today: there's no way that "format" described his repeated insertion of material over the objections of other editors or that "restore after extensive discussion" characterises an edit that had failed to gain consensus during that discussion.

I think it's getting time to take an Arbcom case over alternative medicine articles in general, and acupuncture, Traditional Chinese medicine and ayurveda in particular. All have become entrenched battlegrounds with advocates of these particular forms of quackery. Ayurveda is under indefinite full protection for the simple reason that our discretionary sanctions aren't working: they attempt to focus only on editor behaviour, but don't take into account that we have a serious problem with fraud here. Acupuncture is even more difficult because there is a legitimate scientific controversy over whether it has any effects, and that glimmer of hope is constantly seized upon as evidence that TCM isn't nonsense.

We need to authorize a set of sanctions that allow us to be uneven in our application of remedies, and to be able to immediately and promptly show pseudoscience advocates the door without going through this level of pain. My efforts in this area have only rewarded me with the classification of being involved, something that is bound to occur to any administrator that tries to keep these articles in some kind of factual form.—Kww(talk) 02:15, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement by uninvolved Beyond My Ken

I agree with Kww that it would be beneficial for ArbCom to open a case dealing with acupuncture, Traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda and other naturopathic practices, but suggest that the case be as broad as possible. A narrowly-focused case will do nothing to reduce the overall friction between believers and those who wish to follow the scientific method as the controlling factor. BMK (talk) 04:28, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement by Cla68

I have had several of the alternative medicine articles on my watchlist for some time now, and I can second the accuser's complaint that one or more of the regulars in those articles frequently treat other editors with ridicule, personal comments, condenscension, and other tactics apparently designed to denigrate and discourage their inputs to the articles in question. Perhaps the accuser does appear to favor one side, but the other two editors in question unquestionably favor their side with just as much, if not more verve and stubborness. I believe the two editors in question think they can get away with it because they are siding with the "house POV" and have the support of several admins, one of whom operates an "anti-quackery" blog column off-wiki in real life. I think a case on this issue is appropriate and I'll help present evidence, because there is plenty of it. Cla68 (talk) 07:40, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

Statement by {Non-party}

Other editors are free to make relevant comments on this request as necessary. Comments here should address why or why not the Committee should accept the case request or provide additional information. Question Am I allowed to comment here? I am an editor who has been involved in some of the diffs presented in the case - does this make me "involved" or am I "non-party"?DrChrissy 10:17, 5 May 2015 (UTC) Other editors are free to make relevant comments on this request as necessary. Comments here should address why or why not the Committee should accept the case request or provide additional information.

Clerk notes

This area is used for notes by the clerks (including clerk recusals).

Complementary and Alternative Medicine : Arbitrators' opinion on hearing this matter <0/0/0/2>

Vote key: (Accept/decline/recuse/other)

  • Renaming this to something more neutral, other than that, awaiting statements. Courcelles (talk) 02:45, 5 May 2015 (UTC)
  • Misplaced Pages tries to be an encyclopaedia, which quite clearly entails that it should report scientific facts according to the current scientific consensus. Those who try to subvert that may be in violation of WP:NPOV and, depending on the circumstances, may be sanctioned. Those who oppose those they perceive as doing the POV-pushing should of course strive to be civil, but, in the end, in my opinion, the integrity of the encyclopaedia should be the paramount concern for all those who edit Misplaced Pages.

    In this case, I'm leaning towards accepting the request, but before finalising my vote, I'd rather read more comments. Salvio 09:54, 5 May 2015 (UTC)

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