Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee: Difference between revisions

The Arbitration Committee exists to impose binding solutions to Wikipedia disputes, which 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 when all else has failed. Try other steps first, including discussion between users and, where appropriate, mediation. The Arbitration Committee only deals with the most serious disputes and cases of rule-breaking.

Until the beginning of 2004, Jimbo Wales, the previous 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 could 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." – January 2004

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

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;

Away - on a known temporary absence;

Inactive - on an unknown absence (no AC participation in the last fortnight).

As of March 1, 2007

• Fred Bauder - talk (wiki e-mail)
• James Forrester aka "James F." / "Jdforrester" - talk - jdforrester at gmail dot com (wiki e-mail)
• Charles Matthews - talk - charles dot r dot matthews at ntlworld dot com (wiki e-mail)
• Flcelloguy - talk (wiki e-mail)
• Kirill Lokshin - talk (wiki e-mail)
• Paul August - talk (wiki e-mail)
• UninvitedCompany - talk - (wiki e-mail)
• Josh Gordon, aka Jpgordon - talk - user dot jpgordon at gmail dot com (wiki e-mail)
• FloNight - talk (wiki e-mail)
• Blnguyen - talk (wiki e-mail)
• Mackensen - talk (wiki e-mail)

• Ben aka "Neutrality" - talk - (wiki e-mail)
• Matthew Brown aka "Morven" - talk - morven at gmail dot com (wiki e-mail)
• Mark Pellegrini, aka Raul654 - talk (wiki e-mail)
• SimonP - talk

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 advisory 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.

It should be noted that while appointments are generally to specified terms, all Arbitrators serve at Jimbo's discretion, 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.

• James W. Rosenzweig, 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)
• Martin Harper, aka MyRedDice (resigned, December 2004)
• Lee Pilich, aka Camembert (resigned, December 2004)
• Mark, aka Delirium (resigned, July 2005)
• Steven Melenchuk, aka Grunt (resigned, July 2005)
• Rebecca, aka Ambi (resigned, July 2005)
• Daniel Mayer, aka Maveric149 (resigned, September 2005)
• David Friedland, 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)
• Kat Walsh, aka Mindspillage (resigned, December 2006)
• Jayjg (did not seek re-election, December 2006)
• Sam Korn (did not seek re-election, December 2006)
• Sean Barrett, aka The Epopt (did not seek re-election, December 2006)
• Theresa Knott (did not seek re-election, December 2006)
• Filiocht (on indefinite leave, December 2006)
• Dmcdevit (resigned, February 2007)
• Essjay (resigned March 2007)

The Wikimedia Foundation maintains a private mailing list for Arbitration Committee business. The subscribers to the list are: