Sports Officiating: A Legal Guide 2nd Edition - Sample Chapter

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Acknowledgements .................................................................... 13 Foreword .....................................................................................15 Chapter One Introduction: Why This Book Was Written .................................16 Chapter Two Before the Game ..........................................................................19 Chapter Three The Liability Trap ....................................................................... 25 Legal Negligence......................................................................28 ‘Legal’ vs. ‘Illegal’.....................................................................33 Reasonable Conduct................................................................34 Code of Ethics.........................................................................35 Liability Insurance...................................................................37 Other Defenses........................................................................43 Case Studies Carabba v. Aracortes School District No. 103..................45 1989 Bat-Throwing Incident...............................................51 1994 Ball-Throwing Incident..............................................51 Official’s Flag Hits Player in the Eye................................53 1996 Illegal-Scrum Incident............................................53 Inexperienced Player Incident..........................................54 ‘Failure-to-Warn’ Softball Incident.........................................57 Pitch-Distance Incident............................................................58 Broken-Glass-in-the-Outfield Incident.....................................58 Lightning Incident....................................................................59 Athletic Codes of Conduct: Another Liability Trap?.........................60 ‘Preventive Officiating’ and Mechanics: A Barometer of Negligence in Officiating...........................................................................................62 The Official and Injury Mechanics...................................................63 Weather Conditions and the Official................................................64 ‘It’s Only a Rec Game’.......................................................................66 The End of Liability..........................................................................68

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Chapter Four Check-Up for Baseball and Softball Umpires...............................67 Rule Codes.......................................................................................70 Pregame Meeting..............................................................................71 Field Inspection................................................................................72 Equipment.......................................................................................73 Weather and Field Conditions.........................................................76 Game Control..................................................................................79 Warning and Ejections.....................................................................81 Taunting, Baiting and Intimidation.................................................82 Injury Mechanics.............................................................................83 Fighting............................................................................................85 Chapter Five Check-Up for Basketball Officials................................................86 Player Equipment.............................................................................89 Before the Opening Tip...................................................................90 Illegal Equipment — Mechanics.....................................................91 During the Game.............................................................................92 Smoke and Mirrors..........................................................................92 Player Fouls......................................................................................93 Liability?...........................................................................................94 Game Control................................................................................. 95 Managing the Fight..........................................................................95 The Main Event — Why We Don’t Manage the Fight..................98 Let Them See Stripes...............................................................99 NFHS Rules: The Technicalities....................................................100 The Bottom Line On Fighting......................................................100 Bench Conduct — Old Problem, New Solutions.........................101 Injury Mechanics...........................................................................103 After the Game — Approve and Remove.....................................105 Chapter Six Check-Up for Football Officials .......................................................106 Pregame Responsibilities...............................................................107 Equipment.....................................................................................108 Nuts and Bolts...............................................................................110 Pregame Duties of the Linesman........................................111 Coin Toss.......................................................................................113

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Sideline Management.....................................................................113 The Rules and Safety: Let ’Em Play...............................................116 Game Control and You..................................................................117 Injury Mechanics...........................................................................122 Postgame Mechanics: Approve and Remove.................................123 The Morning After: Post-Postgame Mechanics.............................124

Chapter Seven Check-Up for Lacrosse Officials.................................................125 Equipment.....................................................................................128 ‘Present Arms’.................................................................................130 Goal-Crease Privileges....................................................................130 Personal Fouls … and More..........................................................131 The Coach, Sportsmanship and Game Control...........................132 Fighting..........................................................................................133 Injuries During Play.......................................................................134 Women’s Lacrosse...........................................................................135 Weather or Not?.............................................................................137 Chapter Eight Check-Up for Soccer Officials...................................................140 Pregame Responsibilities for Referees....................................141 Fighting................................................................................147 Weather or Not?...................................................................148 Injury Mechanics..................................................................149 When Does It End?..............................................................150 Chapter Nine Check-Up for Swimming Officials.............................................151 Pre-Meet Responsibilities of the Referee......................................152 Jewelry..........................................................................................153 Conduct of the Competitors and Teams.....................................153 Marshals.......................................................................................154 Environmental Conditions..........................................................155 Electrical Safety............................................................................156 Injuries.........................................................................................156 Disabilities...................................................................................157 After The Meet............................................................................158 Chapter Ten Check-Up for Track and Field Officials.....................................159

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Pre-Meet Inspections............................................................160 Appeals and Protests.............................................................162 Uniforms and Equipment.....................................................162 Duties of the Officials..........................................................163 Disqualification....................................................................165 Medical Issues......................................................................165 Medical Personnel................................................................166 High-Risk Events.................................................................166 Misconduct..........................................................................168 Weather or Not?...................................................................168

Chapter Eleven Check-Up for Volleyball Officials..............................................169 Officials and Their Duties....................................................170 Uniforms, Equipment and Playing Area: NFHS...................171 Uniforms, Equipment and Playing Area: NCAA and Beyond...............................................................172 Injuries.................................................................................173 Conduct Of Players And Others...........................................174 Crowd Control.....................................................................175 Protests.................................................................................176 End of Game Procedure.......................................................176 End of Match Procedure......................................................176 Chapter Twelve Check-Up for Wrestling Officials ..............................................177 Referee’s Jurisdiction.............................................................178 Pre-Match Responsibilities....................................................179 The Mats..............................................................................181 Potentially Dangerous Holds................................................181 The Assistant Referee............................................................183 Ejection................................................................................185 Unnecessary Roughness........................................................185 Chapter Thirteen After the Game .........................................................................188 Handling the Media.............................................................189 Postgame Reports.................................................................194 Improper Incident Report....................................................196 Proper Incident Report.........................................................197

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‘DQ’ Events..........................................................................201 A Final Word........................................................................202 Defamation — Can an Official Sue?....................................204 Will the Courts Overturn a Referee’s Decision?....................206 After the Game — Officials as Plaintiffs...............................210

Chapter Fourteen If You Are Injured .....................................................................211 Intentional Injury.................................................................211 Criminal Charges.................................................................215 Officials Assault Laws...........................................................221 The Details...........................................................................221 Anybody Else to Sue?............................................................227 Inviting Trouble....................................................................231 The Bottom Line..................................................................231 Accidental Injuries................................................................232 Is an Official Entitled to Workers’ Compensation?...............234 Chapter Fifteen Officials’ Associations ........................................................................237 Incorporating Your Association...................................................243 Officers and Executive Board......................................................249 Officials’ Organizations: Non-profit or Not?................................252 Liability Concerns: Chapter Associations....................................256 Officials As Independent Contractors.........................................258 High School/Youth Officiating....................................................264 College Officials...........................................................................265 Government Agency Rulings.......................................................266 A Note On Association Officers..................................................267 When The School is An Employer..............................................268 Are Your Members Employees of Your Association?...................269 The Great Contract Myth...........................................................270 Why Your Association Needs to Follow a Code Of Ethics.........272 Defending Your Officials.............................................................274 Criminal Background Checks.....................................................278 Civil Rights Laws.........................................................................282 Officials With Disabilities............................................................284 Conclusion...................................................................................287

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Chapter Sixteen The Last Call ..................................................................................288 Appendix A Selected Bibliography...................................................................290 Appendix B A Note to Contest Administrators ............................................293 Appendix C State of New Jersey Model Athletic Code...................................297 Local Laws of the City of New York for Time Year 2003...........298 Appendix D Table of Significant Cases in Sports Officiating..........................302 Index .................................................................................................306