The Report On Lengthy Litigation
Activity in arbitration cases continued at a slower pace last week, as the Arbitration Committee closed one case while its caseload did not change significantly, since no new complaints were submitted.
Irate was banned for three months in a decision issued on Sunday. The arbitrators found that Irate violated the policy of no personal attacks on various occasions, including a number after the case began and Irate made a promise to "act in a more restrained manner".
In considering the length of the ban, the arbitrators voted on different options of three, six, or twelve months. Some voted for more than one option, indicating which of the three was their preference. However, since these preferences did not coincide, this caused some confusion when the ruling was issued, but ultimately it was settled that the shorter three-month ban would apply.
In addition to the ban, the decision included a "suspended parole" for personal attacks after the ban ends. This would be a typical personal attack parole for twelve months, but the parole will not be immediately in force. Instead, it is suspended when he returns but can be "unsuspended" by the Arbitration Committee upon notice that Irate continues to make personal attacks (notice can apparently be made using the Committee's new requests for clarification procedure).
One of the parties, Matt Crypto, questioned why the parole was suspended and not imposed directly, saying this made it seem like "a very insubstantial measure". In opposing the suspended parole, arbitrator The Epopt said he expected that "a stiffer sentence will be required to get [Irate's] attention". However, the measure still passed by a vote of 7-1.