Australian Bridge Directors Association

Appeals Reports

The ABF, concerned for both quality of decisions and a transparency of rulings, intend to provide coverage of the appeals in which the ABF Tournament Unit, as administrative body and its Directors have been involved. (See Guidelines below in relation to publication of Appeals Results)

• Report on appeals at 2006 ANC

• Report on appeals for 2003  (29/02/04)

• Report on appeals from January to June 2002  (7/1/03)

See also

• WBF Code of Practice for Appeals Committees (Revised December 2001)

• International Appeals Forum

• Richard Hills has edited 3 unofficial casebooks of US appeals containing much background comment on those appeals. See

  • Reno Regional 2003

  • Reno NABC Spring 2004

  • New York NABC Summer 2004

  • The NABC official casebooks are available at the ACBL

ABF Guidelines for Publication of Appeals Results.

On the basis that it is desirable that the Australian Bridge Federation move to publish an outline of the appeals decisions at ABF tournaments and recognising that there are potential legal liabilities that demand that these reports should be checked most thoroughly before such publication, these guidelines are proposed:

1. Appeals reports should be published in a block from time to time and not individually.

2. Appeals reports should include, if possible:
   a) the date and name of the event;
   b) the name of the director;
   c) the names of the members of the appeals committee;
   d) the record of the hand and the bidding with explanations;
   e) an indication of any other relevant circumstances such as whether screens or bidding boxes are in use;
   f) the table result;
   g) the Tournament Director's Report and decision;
   h) the arguments of the appellant's and respondents
   i) a brief indication of the discussions of the Appeals Committee;
   j) an indication of the decision of the Appeals Committee.

3. Appeals reports must not include the names of the players, teams or captains.

4. Appeals reports must not include any editorial comment on the personal styles or characteristics of the players involved.

5. It is desirable to have the appeals reports checked by the General Counsel.