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Currently, there are no requests for arbitration.

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Use this page to request clarification or amendment of a closed Arbitration Committee case or decision.

• Requests for clarification are used to ask for further guidance or clarification about an existing completed Arbitration Committee case or decision.
• Requests for amendment are used to ask for an amendment or extension of existing sanctions (for instance, because the sanctions are ineffective, contain a loophole, or no longer cover a sufficiently wide topic); or appeal for the removal of sanctions (including bans).

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1. Choose one of the following options and open the page in a new tab or window:
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4. Add the diffs of the talk page notifications under the applicable header of the request.

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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.
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• Requesting an extension. You may request a word limit extension in your submission itself (using the {{@ArbComClerks}} template) or by emailing clerks-llists.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.
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Amendment request: Race and intelligence

Initiated by - Penwhale | at 13:48, 1 August 2014 (UTC)

Case affected

Race and intelligence arbitration case (t) (ev / t) (w / t) (pd / t)

Clauses to which an amendment is requested

1. Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Race_and_intelligence#TrevelyanL85A2_topic-banned
2. Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Race_and_intelligence#Modified by motion (September 2013)

List of users affected by or involved in this amendment

• Penwhale (talk · contribs · blocks · protections · deletions · page moves · rights · RfA) (initiator)
• TrevelyanL85A2 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
• Mathsci (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)

Confirmation that the above users are aware of this request

• TrevelyanL85A2 notified
• Mathsci notified

Amendment 1

• Basis: Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Race_and_intelligence#TrevelyanL85A2_topic-banned and Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Race_and_intelligence#Modified by motion (September 2013)
• Request: That Mathsci (talk · contribs) is indefinitely prohibited from participating in any discussion concerning the conduct of TrevelyanL85A2 (talk · contribs).

Statement by Penwhale

Back in September 2013, a motion was made to change certain one-way interaction bans into two-way ones. More relevantly, SightWatcher (who was also restricted in a similar way to TrevelyanL85A2) was used as a basis for the IBAN between SightWatcher and Mathsci. However, possibly because TrevelyanL85A2 had been blocked indef (concurrent with a 1-year AE block), no action was taken in regards to TrevelyanL85A2's situation.

Note: TrevelyanL85A2 is currently still under the block, although it is currently being discussed at WP:AN. Mathsci is currently still banned due to the motion passed in October 2013. - Penwhale | 13:48, 1 August 2014 (UTC)

• Reply to WTT: I expected that some arbitrators may see that. However, Mathsci is eligible to appeal his ban (and has been eligible for a while), so this request - even though possibly pointless for the moment - merely brings what might have been omitted last September in line (although I do not know whether the clause would have passed anyway last September if it were included since TrevelyanL85A2 had not made his first unblock request until October). - Penwhale | 14:17, 1 August 2014 (UTC)

• Reply to NYB: Again, I expected views that it might be considered premature. But I wanted to make sure that this issue gets addressed should Mathsci becomes unbanned. - Penwhale | 15:46, 1 August 2014 (UTC)

Statement by other editor

{Other editors are free to comment on this amendment as necessary. Comments here should be directed only at the above proposed amendment.}

Clerk notes

This section is for administrative notes by the clerks (including clerk recusals).

• Recuse as initiator and due to RL acquaintance with TrevelyanL85A2. - Penwhale | 13:48, 1 August 2014 (UTC)

Arbitrator views and discussion

• I'm generally in favour of 2-way interaction bans rather than 1-way, but I really don't see the point here. Mathsci is indefinitely blocked, that supersedes the IBan. If an when both parties are unblocked and show that the 1-way interaction ban isn't working, I'd consider changing it - but for now, I don't see the point. Worm(talk) 14:10, 1 August 2014 (UTC)
• If and when Mathsci requests an unblock, we can discuss conditions of the unblock. Is there a reason this isn't premature/unnecessary until then? Newyorkbrad (talk) 15:04, 1 August 2014 (UTC)
• This should be addressed by the committee when/if Mathsci requests an unban from the committee. T. Canens (talk) 20:59, 1 August 2014 (UTC)
• If Mathsci were ever to request the ban being lifted, this could certainly be considered as a condition for the ban being lifted (provided it is lifted, this is not a guarantee it would be). Until and unless Mathsci appeals to be unbanned, though, the point is moot. Right now, Mathsci may not edit at all. If that ever changes, lesser restrictions might serve some purpose. Seraphimblade 21:34, 1 August 2014 (UTC)
• If Mathsci is unblocked, then we consider this. Otherwise, I don't see the point of this right now. GorillaWarfare (talk) 21:53, 6 August 2014 (UTC)
• Agree with all of the above. there's no need for this at this time. Beeblebrox (talk) 22:17, 6 August 2014 (UTC)

Amendment request: Tea Party movement

Initiated by — Arthur Rubin (talk) at 23:17, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

Case affected

Tea Party movement arbitration case (t) (ev / t) (w / t) (pd / t)

Clauses to which an amendment is requested

1. Remedy 8.1

List of users affected by or involved in this amendment

• Arthur Rubin (talk · contribs · blocks · protections · deletions · page moves · rights · RfA) (initiator)

Confirmation that the above users are aware of this request

N/A

Information about amendment request

• Misplaced Pages:Arbitration/Requests/Case/Tea Party movement#Arthur Rubin topic-banned
• I am requesting removal of the topic ban.

Statement by your Arthur Rubin

It has been 7 months since my last reported violation of the topic ban, although this may be a technical violation, which is part of the reason for my request. Per a previous clarification, I'm allowed to revert banned editors at TPm pages, but I'm not allowed to talk about it. I was going to make an arguably gnomish edit on Citizen Koch (combining 3 references which all support the same statement into one), and, today, I discovered a MonkBot error on Tea Party movement which I technically cannot fix without violating the topic ban. I'm willing to abide by a 1RR per area of an article if it helps your decision, but I would prefer not to be bound by that in an active discussion. If I'm the second and fourth in A → B → A'b → B → B'A', I have made 2 reverts, but I'm actively working on the article. — Arthur Rubin (talk) 23:17, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

@Roger Davies. I don't see how you could reach that conclusion. I admit that I consider the IP's edit on Citizen Koch, restored by a real editor, absurd. But I wasn't planning to actually revert it. Consolidating 3 references (including the one added by the banned IP) into one isn't reverting the addition. And I was planning to revert a bot on Tea Party movement. My further discussion on a potential edit war was hypothetical, but in that particular configuration, I would be trying to improve the article, while the opponent would be attempting to revert to the present state. However, I would agree to a 1RR limitation if the committee feels it necessary. — Arthur Rubin (talk) 06:38, 28 July 2014 (UTC)

OK, I didn't mean to imply that I would be edit warring; I would prefer to be able to try variations, which would technically be "reverts", as it would probably be changing the wording (which I don't like, or find objectionable, or in violation of Misplaced Pages policies (but not BLP)) to something more like what was there previously, but it would never be exactly a revert. I'm willing to abide by 1RR per section or 0*RR (never revert reversions of my edits; 0RR is problematic, because of the expansive definition of "revert") if you feel it necessary. — Arthur Rubin (talk) 10:05, 28 July 2014 (UTC)

In regard possible changing the topic ban to 1RR; obviously I cannot dictate the form of the remedy, but I do think the 1RR/area/week allows more legitimate editing than 1RR/article/day. Even a restriction from article-space would allow me to suggest or discuss edits which have made some articles absurd, but not a policy violation. — Arthur Rubin (talk) 04:33, 2 August 2014 (UTC)

Statement by Collect

Arthur was swept up in the prior case for fairly minor sins, and the "time served" argument which is rarely pertinent actually does apply here as he has "noted" - especially where a result occurs which makes no reasonable sense to any outside observer. Collect (talk) 15:12, 25 July 2014 (UTC)

Statement by uninvolved A Quest for Knowledge

The Committee based its findings of edit-warring on the following 4 diffs:

• 11:42, February 17, 2013

• 09:00, February 18, 2013

• 11:28, March 6, 2013

• 04:13, July 16, 2013

Yep, that's right. Four reverts over the course of 5 months. Had this occurred in a 24 hour period, then sure, yes, this would be edit-warring and would warrant a 24 hour block. But it didn't happen over 24 hours. This is 5 months of editing. We don't topic ban for 4 reverts over 24 hours nor should we topic ban for 4 reverts over 5 months. If we topic-banned every editor who was at 4RR over a 5 month period, there would be scant editors to edit.

Nevermind the fact that many editors consider WP:BRD to be a best practice.

Face it, the Committee f***ed up and f***ed up royally. Not only should this request be granted, the Committee should apologize for such a ridiculous, absurd ruling. A Quest For Knowledge (talk) 23:59, 27 July 2014 (UTC)

Statement by {other user}

{Other editors are free to comment on this amendment as necessary. Comments here should be directed only at the above proposed amendment.}

Statement by {yet another user}

Clerk notes

This section is for administrative notes by the clerks (including clerk recusals).

• 1-week 1RR means one revert per week, correct? - Penwhale | 04:03, 7 August 2014 (UTC)

Arbitrator views and discussion

• Thinking about the request, but in the meantime I'll just say this is the first time I've seen an edit-war described in sonata form notation. Newyorkbrad (talk) 23:26, 24 July 2014 (UTC)
• Unless I'm missing something, this does not seem to be such a good idea. Just to clarify ... the request is about restoring access to someone who has been topic-banned for edit-editing so that they may return to edit-war. No?  Roger Davies 08:30, 27 July 2014 (UTC)

• @Arthur Rubin I was just taking at face value what you'd written: "I'm willing to abide by a 1RR per area of an article if it helps your decision, but I would prefer not to be bound by that in an active discussion". Can you clarify what this means please?  Roger Davies 08:12, 28 July 2014 (UTC)
• @Arthur Rubin Thanks for the clarification. Perhaps you should familiarise yourself with the Edit warring policy as from you've just said you probably won't be sticking to 1RR at all,  Roger Davies 10:14, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

• I'd be willing to downgrade Arthur's sanction to an indefinite 1-rr coupled with the standard one-year keep-your-nose-clean topic ban suspension. Salvio 11:32, 27 July 2014 (UTC)
• Although I sympathise with Arthur Rubin's frustration that the Tea Party movement articles require further work, I think an insufficient amount of time has passed since the original case for it to be in the interests of the project to reduce or remove the sanctions adopted a year ago. I would therefore decline this request, with absolutely no prejudice to considering it again in the future. AGK 23:12, 27 July 2014 (UTC)
• I'd be willing to consider 1RR, but it would be a standard 1RR, that is, one revert per article per (day|week). I would not be willing to consider a complex system depending on exactly where in the article a revert occurred. Seraphimblade 00:16, 2 August 2014 (UTC)
• I'd potentially support a 1 week duration 1RR, but I'd like to read over the past evidence a bit more. NativeForeigner 08:05, 6 August 2014 (UTC)
• I would support a 1-week 1RR or similar. GorillaWarfare (talk) 21:58, 6 August 2014 (UTC)

Amendment request: Infoboxes

Initiated by Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits at 12:50, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

Case affected

Infoboxes arbitration case (t) (ev / t) (w / t) (pd / t)

Clauses to which an amendment is requested

1. "Pigsonthewing is indefinitely banned from adding, or discussing the addition or removal of, infoboxes."

List of users affected by or involved in this amendment

• Pigsonthewing (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log) (Andy Mabbett; initiator)

Confirmation that the above users are aware of this request

• n/a

Information about amendment request

I request a relaxation of the above restriction, so that I can include an infobox in each of a limited, specific, set of new articles, as described below.

Statement by Andy Mabbett

My GLAM collaboration work with the BBC is well-known and has resulted in much positive publicity for Misplaced Pages, and the creation and donation of valuable content, including the first-ever broadcast material released by the BBC under open licence (281 files uploaded, so far, of a planned 1,000). As part of this project, I plan, over the next few weeks, to create articles for many of the 160 (approx) red links for notable people in the sub pages of List of Desert Island Discs episodes (a BBC show). I wish to include an infobox in each of these.

Should anyone remove one of the infoboxes, I will neither restore nor discuss it (unless asked a question directly).

I invite suggestions as to how to deal with the unlikely case of someone stalking my edits to remove the infoboxes en mass; or to pre-emptively mass-create the articles described. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits at 12:50, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

@Worm That Turned: You mean "last week's infobox upsets" in which I was found not only to have done nothing wrong, but to have been relentlessly stalked by another editor? This request - made over a year after the original case opened - has been in hand for a while before last week (as RexxS, with whom I discussed a draft will confirm), and is timed to coincide with a long-planned mass-creation of articles. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 12:15, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

@Worm That Turned: Well, you yourself said "Seems pretty clear that there was an infobox there. Just because it didn't use the infobox template doesn't mean it wasn't an infobox." (you'll recall that the issue hinged on a false accusation that I had inserted an infobox where none had exited previously); and the request for enforcement was closed as "No action taken; no violation.". Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 14:25, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

Statement by Ritchie333

I'm a complete outsider to all of this, but the creation of these articles is a positive thing for the project. I think this request is a little premature - I would focus on making sure those articles are well written, broad in coverage and factually accurate above and beyond any forms of presentation. If you have already created a large (say, over 100) corpus of new articles, and you can't find anyone else who wants to put an infobox in, that would be the time to consider this. Ritchie333 15:43, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

Statement by Sitush

No, just no. You've recently tested the margins regarding infoboxes and (rightly) got away with it. This is an attempt to extend those margins too far. You have a strong view regarding infoboxes that is not necessarily shared by others and allowing your proposal will almost inevitably result in another edit war spanning multiple articles even if you do not war yourself. You're are asking for permission to fire the first shot and, because you are seen as something of a standard-bearer for the pro-infobox faction, this request is likely to be the start of something nasty. If anyone else chooses to add infoboxes to your new articles and take the risk by association that goes with their action then more fool them, but there is no deadline and they are entitled to try.

PotW, like it or not, anything involving infoboxes and you is akin to a honeypot. I'd strongly advise that you do not even string the letters together for the foreseeable future, anywhere on-wiki. There is much other stuff that you can do and it seems that you are doing it. - Sitush (talk) 09:14, 26 July 2014 (UTC)

Statement by Gerda

Did you know that the so-called infobox war was over in 2012? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 09:09, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

Did you know ... that soprano Ada Cherry Kearton was married to wildlife photographer Cherry Kearton and recounted their travels in her autobiography On Safari?

This is on the Main Page right now, one of the articles from the list in question, the infobox added by Voceditenore.

The other articles will also get infoboxes because such articles normally have infoboxes in Misplaced Pages. If a restriction is in the way of improving the project, something seems wrong. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 07:30, 5 August 2014 (UTC)

A recent edit was described above and below as "testing" and "grey area", - it was not. "no foul. play on.", thank you for seeing that clearly, Floquenbeam, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:12, 5 August 2014 (UTC)

Statement by {yet another user}

Clerk notes

This section is for administrative notes by the clerks (including clerk recusals).

Arbitrator views and discussion

• It's a "definitely not" from me. Aside from being almost banned over the infobox dispute, you were recently testing the borders of your restriction; so, as far as I'm concerned this request is much too soon. Salvio 15:54, 24 July 2014 (UTC)
• I more or less agree with Salvio. I was not on the committee during the original case, but I know it has been an incredible time sink and that there was good reason for the topic ban put in place. Also the request as framed seems to be putting the cart rather far in front of the horse. Beeblebrox (talk) 19:17, 25 July 2014 (UTC)
• Definitely not for now from me too, for the reasons articulated above,  Roger Davies 09:27, 27 July 2014 (UTC)
• I am afraid it is a no from me too. Decline. AGK 23:12, 27 July 2014 (UTC)
• Decline. GorillaWarfare (talk) 02:56, 28 July 2014 (UTC)
• We've already got more than enough trouble surrounding infoboxes. I can't support risking more at this time. Seraphimblade 06:26, 28 July 2014 (UTC)
• Given last week's infobox upsets, this is pretty dire timing Andy. I have to agree with my colleagues, that a relaxation should not be happening at this time. Worm(talk) 08:12, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

  Andy, I wouldn't agree that you'd been found to have done "nothing wrong". The edit was in the grey area, otherwise there would not have been discussion of it. Yes, the committee agreed that you had not violated your restriction - but "nothing wrong" is a step beyond. I don't see that you needed to make this request now, before the dust settled, it was inherently poor timing. Worm(talk) 12:56, 29 July 2014 (UTC)