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 ACBL Duplicate Laws
Chapter 11, Laws 92-93: Appeals

A. Contestant's Right

A contestant or his captain may appeal for a review of any ruling made at his table by the Director. Any such appeal, if deemed to lack merit, may be the subject of a sanction imposed by regulation.
(Old 1997 Law)
A contestant or his Captain may appeal for a review of any ruling made at his table by the Director. 
 

B. Time of Appeal

The right to request or appeal a Director’s ruling expires 30 minutes after the official score has been made available for inspection unless the Tournament Organizer has specified a different time period.
(Old 1997 Law)
The right to request or appeal a Director's ruling expires 30 minutes after the official score has been made available for inspection, unless the sponsoring organization has specified a different time period.
 

C. How to Appeal

All appeals shall be made through the Director.
 

D. Concurrence of Appellants

An appeal shall not be heard unless
1. in a pairs event both members of the partnership concur in making the appeal (but in an individual contest an appellant does not require his partner’s concurrence).
2. in a team event the team captain concurs in making the appeal.
(Old 1997 Law)
An appeal shall not be heard unless both members of a pair (except in an individual contest), or the captain of a team, concur in appealing. An absent member shall be deemed to concur.

See Duplicate Decisions, Appeals Form, ACBL Payer Memo Form

(Old 1997 Law Removed)
Sponsoring organizations may establish penalties for appeals without merit.

A. No Appeals Committee

The Director shall hear and rule upon all appeals if there is no appeals committee (or alternative arrangement under Law 80B2(k)), or if such cannot operate without disturbing the orderly progress of the tournament.

(Old 1997 Law)
The Chief Director shall hear and rule upon all appeals if there is no Tournament or Appeals Committee, or when a committee cannot meet without disturbing the orderly progress of the tournament.
 

B. Appeals Committee Available

If a committee is available,
1. The Director shall hear and rule upon such part of the appeal as deals solely with the Laws or regulations. His ruling may be appealed to the committee.
2. The Director shall refer all other appeals to the committee for adjudication.
3. In adjudicating appeals the committee may exercise all powers assigned by these Laws to the Director, except that the committee may not overrule the Director on a point of law or regulations or on exercise of his Law 91 disciplinary powers. (The committee may recommend to the Director that he change such a ruling.)
(Old 1997 Law)

1. Appeal Concerns Law

The Chief Director shall hear and rule upon such part of the appeal as deals solely with the Law or regulations. His ruling may be appealed to the committee. 

2. All Other Appeals

The Chief Director shall refer all other appeals to the committee  for adjudication.

3. Adjudication of Appeals

In adjudicating appeals the committee  may exercise all powers assigned by these Laws to the Director, except that the committee may not overrule the Director on a point of law or regulations, or on exercise of his disciplinary powers. The committee may recommend to the Director that he change his ruling.
 

C. Further Possibilities of Appeal*

1. T he Regulating Authority may establish procedures for further appeals after the foregoing procedures have been exhausted. Any such further appeal, if deemed to lack merit, may be the subject of a sanction imposed by regulation.
2. The Director or the appeals committee may refer a matter for later consideration by the Regulating Authority. The Regulating Authority has authority to resolve any matter finally.

(Old 1997 Law)
After the preceding remedies have been exhausted, further appeal may be taken to the national authority (on a point of law, in ACBL the National Laws Commission, 2990 Airways Boulevard, Memphis, TN, 38116-3847).
3. (a) Notwithstanding 1 and 2 above, where deeming it crucial to the progress of the tournament the Regulating Authority may assign the responsibility for dealing finally with any appeal to the respective tournament appeals committee and, along with the parties to the appeal, is then bound by the outcome.
(b) With due notice given to the contestants, a Regulating Authority may authorize the omission or modification of such stages as it wishes of the appeals process set out in these Laws.**

* See Elections 8 and 9 for ACBL regulations concerning further appeal, p. 137.

** The Regulating Authority is responsible for compliance with any national law that may affect its action.

See Duplicate Decisions

(Old 1997 Law Removed)
Zonal organizations may establish differing conditions of appeals for special contests.