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APPENDIX B - Sanctions and Disciplinary Actions

Sanctions

The Marshallate of the Kingdom shall have the authority to implement sanctions upon Participants for safety considerations and/or violations of the Rules and Regulations. Sanctions may include anything from not being allowed to use a particular weapon, weapon form, or weapon technique, to not being allowed to participate in an SCA Combat Related Activity.

Sanctions for reason of behavior or the committing of prohibited actions, shall not be implemented unless and until the individual has been duly warned. However, if the severity of the infraction warrants immediate action, sanctions may be implemented at the first occurrence. No sanction shall be implemented without giving a full explanation of the reason(s) to the individual being sanctioned.

Sanctions will be one time or short term prohibitions unless the severity of the infraction is judged to warrant other disciplinary actions as described below.

Disciplinary Actions

Only the highest levels of the Kingdom Marshallate shall have the authority to implement long term disciplinary actions (i.e. the Sovereign, the Earl Marshal, and the Kingdom Rapier Marshal.) Disciplinary actions may be some form of sanction implemented on a long term basis or a complete suspension/revocation of the offender's Authorization. If deemed necessary, a Court of Inquiry (see appendix A) may be called to determine if disciplinary actions are in order. Beyond the disciplinary action taken by the Marshallate, the Crown may take action against individuals in the form of banishment from Society events within this Kingdom for a specified time. The individual might also be subject to banishment, from the Society and it's activities, by the Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc..

Appeals

Any participant may appeal up the chain of command within the Marshallate to avoid, or to have implemented, sanctions and/or disciplinary actions. These appeals may be made d the participant feels that the level of command being consulted has not given a satisfactory response.

The chain of command outlined below should be followed in all matters concerning Marshallate decisions and rulings that are being appealed by any involved party.

Chain of Command: (starting with the lowest level)

1. Assisting Marshal on the Field who is unwarranted. (i.e. a Participant who is authorized to participate as a marshal).

2. Assisting Marshal on the Field who is warranted (i.e. a Warranted Marshal who is assisting the Marshal-in-charge with the days activities).

(Note) - A warranted Assisting Marshal might be one of the higher levels of the Marshallate command. If so, that higher level may be consulted about problems or questions directly, skipping other levels in between.

3. The Marshal-in-Charge (i.e. the warranted Marshal who is responsible for conducting the SCA Combat Related Activities at that particular event or practice). Most of the time this will be the Local Knight Marshal or the Local Rapier Marshal, but it may be someone higher up the chain of command if otherwise designated.

4. The District (Regional) Deputy for the area in which the event is being conducted, or, if he/she is not available, any other District Deputy.

5. The Earl Marshal. (Matters involving Rapier Combat related activities should be directed to the Kingdom Rapier Marshal prior to being presented to the Earl Marshal. They may then be presented to the Earl Marshal, if needed.)

6. The Sovereign.

7. The Society Marshal. (Matters concerning Rapier Combat related activities should be directed to the Corporate Rapier Marshal and then to the Society Marshal, if needed.)

8. The Board of Directors.

You will note that autocrats, local nobility, local Seneschals, etc. are not Marshallate authorities unless they also happen to be warranted members of the Marshallate.

When appealing up the chain of command, no available level should be skipped unless the individual being skipped to is directly involved in the SCA Combat Related Activity as a Participant. For example, if the Earl Marshal is actively participating in a Combat activity, one may go straight to him or her with a problem or question that arises within that activity without first addressing any of the lower levels of command. The ruling of the highest available level of command shall be obeyed at Society events. Any appeals may be made at a latter time when a higher level of command is available for consultation.

Once a ruling has been made on any question or problem that has had to go up the chain of command, all involved parties should be informed about the final disposition of the matter.


Charles E. Bonawitz IV
Lord Otto Vustmann
otto@bga.com