Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee

The Arbitration Committee exists to impose binding solutions to Wikipedia disputes. This solution may be anything up to and including a ban from editing Wikipedia for a period of time.

The Arbitration Committee is the last step in the dispute resolution process — it is a last resort to be turned to when all else has failed. Other steps, including discussion between users and, where appropriate, Mediation, should be tried first. The Arbitration Committee exists to deal with only the most serious disputes and cases of rule-breaking.

Until the beginning of 2004, Jimbo Wales, the current head of the Wikimedia Foundation, which governs Wikipedia, dealt with all serious disputes and was the only person with the authority to ban users who were not engaging in simple Vandalism (straightforward vandals can be blocked by any Administrator). This role has now largely been passed to the Arbitration Committee. Jimbo wrote:

"The Arbitration Committee can impose a solution that I'll consider to be binding, with of course the exception that I reserve the right of executive clemency and indeed even to dissolve the whole thing if it turns out to be a disaster. But I regard that as unlikely, and I plan to do it about as often as the Queen of England dissolves Parliament against their wishes, i.e., basically never, but it is one last safety valve for our values."[http://mail.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-January/009636.html

To request Arbitration, see Requests for arbitration.
The Arbitration policy details the rules involved.

Members

The number of active Committee members affects the number of Arbitrators needed to reach a ruling. For example, if seven Arbitrators are active, then four votes are needed to reach a majority decision. If ten are active, then six votes are needed, etc.. If an even number of members are active and there is a tie, then we will ask Jimbo Wales to give the tie-breaking vote; this situation has yet to happen, however.

By choice, we don't have a Chair.

AC status :: Active - has participated in an AC case in the last month;; Away - on a temporary absence;; Inactive - has not participated in an AC case in the last month.

Active

As of 16 July 2006

Fred Bauder - Fred Bauder - fredbaud at ctelco.net (Emailuser/Fred Bauder)
The Epopt aka "The Epopt" - The Epopt - sean at epoptic.org (Emailuser/The Epopt)
Jayjg - Jayjg - Emailuser/Jayjg
Mindspillage aka "Mindspillage" - Mindspillage - mindspillage at gmail dot com (Emailuser/Mindspillage)
Morven aka "Morven" - Morven - morven at gmail dot com (Emailuser/Morven)
Charles Matthews - Charles Matthews - charles dot r dot matthews at ntlworld dot com (Emailuser/Charles Matthews)
Dmcdevit - Dmcdevit - Emailuser/Dmcdevit
SimonP - SimonP - Emailuser/SimonP
Theresa knott - Theresa knott - theresaknott AT gmail DOT com (Emailuser/Theresa knott)
Raul654, aka Raul654 - Raul654 - Emailuser/Raul654
Neutrality aka "Neutrality" - Neutrality - Emailuser/Neutrality

Away

Recovering from illness

Filiocht - Emailuser/Filiocht

Holidaying until August

Sam Korn - Sam Korn - sam dot korn at gmail dot com (Emailuser/Sam Korn)

At residential work thing until 21.vii.2006

Jdforrester aka "James F." / "Jdforrester" - Jdforrester - james at jdforrester.org (Emailuser/Jdforrester)

Inactive

(none)

Selection process

The original Arbitration Committee was appointed by Jimbo Wales, primarily chosen from people who volunteered to help with the mediation and arbitration processes. Arbitrators are chosen for appointment having been suggested through Elections; for temporary appointments to replace resignations, they are chosen after direct advice.

Arbitrators serve three-year terms on a rotating schedule, such that a "tranche" of five positions is up for re-appointment each year. In case of early departures, new Arbitrators are appointed to the partially-served, now empty, terms.

Alpha Tranche (Expires end-of-2007)

Mark (Raul654)
Ben (Neutrality)
Simon P.
Dmcdevit
Fred Bauder

Beta Tranche (expires end-of-2008)

James F (Jdforrester)
Mindspillage
Filiocht
Charles Matthews
Morven

Gamma Tranche (expires end-of-2006)

JayJG
Sean Barrett (The Epopt)
Theresa Knott
Sam Korn

It should be noted that while appointments are generally to specified terms, all Arbitrators serve at Jimbo's pleasure, and are not automatically removed at the expiration of those terms, but only by the appointment of a replacement or otherwise by Jimbo's will.

Former members

UninvitedCompany (resigned, February 2004)
Jwrosenzweig, aka Jwrosenzweig (did not seek re-election, December 2004)
The Cunctator (appointed to original committee, unsuccessful in election bid, December 2004)
Gutza (resigned, December 2004)
MyRedDice, aka MyRedDice (resigned, December 2004)
Camembert, aka Camembert (resigned, December 2004)
Delirium, aka Delirium (resigned, July 2005)
Grunt, aka Grunt (resigned, July 2005)
Ambi, aka Ambi (resigned, July 2005)
Maveric149, aka Maveric149 (resigned, September 2005)
Nohat, aka Nohat (resigned, September 2005)
Sannse (resigned, November 2005)
Kelly Martin (resigned, January 2006)
David Gerard (did not seek re-election, January 2006)
Fennec (did not seek re-election, January 2006)
Mackensen (resigned, February 2006)

Member history

Wikipedia dispute resolution | Wikipedia Arbitration Committee | Wikipedia functionaries