Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2009-09-28/Arbitration report

Arbitration report

The Report on Lengthy Litigation

The Arbitration Committee did not open or close any cases this week, leaving five cases open.

Requests for arbitration

An arbitration request concerning the conduct of numerous editors was filed by Ottava Rima, who alleges that the editors in question have engaged in some manner of disruptive conspiracy. The request appears to have been precipitated by a set of editing restrictions that were imposed on Ottava Rima by administrator Jehochman. The Committee has not yet determined whether the case will be heard.

An arbitration request concerning the "Chan Tai San" article, filed by Xavierq, is being rejected as premature.

An arbitration request concerning the "Harry Benjamin's Syndrome" article, filed by CharlotteGoiar, is being rejected as a content dispute.

Open cases

The Eastern European mailing list case has entered its second week of deliberations. The case concerns a set of leaked mailing list archives which are alleged to show an extensive history of conspiracy among numerous editors of Eastern European topics. As part of its ongoing investigation, the Committee has temporarily removed Piotrus' administrator status, and is considering placing restrictions on various other editors for the duration of the case. Standard workshop procedures appear to have been suspended for the case, so normal drafting of proposals by the parties and other editors is not taking place; a draft decision is to be written by arbitrators Coren and Newyorkbrad, but no date for it has been announced.

The Asmahan case has also entered its second week of deliberations. The filing editor, Supreme Deliciousness, alleges that Arab Cowboy has engaged in a variety of disruptive behavior on the "Asmahan" article; Arab Cowboy denies the allegations, and claims that Supreme Deliciousness is pursuing a disruptive agenda of his own. No drafting of proposals has yet taken place; a draft decision is expected from arbitrator FayssalF, but no date for it has been announced.

The Speed of light case has entered its third week of deliberations. The case was filed by Jehochman, who cited concerns about "tendentious editing and disruption" by a large number of editors on the "speed of light" article. Unusually, arbitrator Cool Hand Luke, who is slated to draft the decision in the case, has directly asked the parties "what resolution [they] would like to see from this process, and what (if any) concessions would [they] be willing to give to achieve that end?"; the parties have provided a set of varied responses to this. Workshop proposals have been made by a number of editors, including Cool Hand Luke and fellow arbitrator Vassyana. A draft decision in the case is expected by 30 September.

The Noloop case has entered its sixth week of deliberations. The case involves mutual allegations of disruptive conduct by several parties, and is expected to address the conduct of all the editors involved. Evidence has been presented by several editors, and one of the parties, Noloop, has posted a statement that he does not intend to participate in the proceeding, but no drafting of proposals has yet taken place. A draft decision, to be written by arbitrator Carcharoth, was expected by 27 September.

The Lapsed Pacifist 2 case has also entered its sixth week of deliberations, as well as its first week of voting. The filing editor, Steve Crossin, alleges that Lapsed Pacifist has engaged in advocacy, original research, and edit warring, as well as various other improprieties, over a wide range of articles. A temporary injunction prohibits Lapsed Pacifist from editing articles related to the Corrib gas project for the duration of the case.

The proposed decision, written by arbitrator Casliber, would place all articles related to the Corrib gas controversy and Shell to Sea under article probation, as well as imposing revert restrictions on Lapsed Pacifist and GainLine and issuing a series of admonishments and reminders. An alternative proposal by arbitrator Rlevse would ban Lapsed Pacifist from the topic area indefinitely.