The Report on Lengthy Litigation

By Ral315 and David Mestel, 13 October, 2008

The Arbitration Committee opened one case this week, bringing the number of cases currently open to four.

New case

• Abtract-Collectonian: A case between Abtract and Collectonian, involving an editing dispute between the two. A temporary injunction has passed in the case, declaring administrator-imposed editing restrictions to remain in effect until a decision is reached, and directing the users to submit evidence speedily, so that the Committee can swiftly introduce a decision that would supersede the injunction.

Evidence phase

• Piotrus 2: A second case involving alleged edit warring and other misconduct by Piotrus and other editors. Piotrus denies the allegations against him, and has suggested that the case may be a deliberate attempt to drive him from the site.

Voting phase

• SlimVirgin-Lar: A case brought by Thatcher, asking the committee to review the use of checkuser by Lar, in the light of comments by SlimVirgin (here, inter alia), alleging that he misused the tool. A finding of fact with the support of six arbitrators find that Lar's conduct "fell within the acceptable range of CheckUser discretion", and remedies reminding users to bring similar issues to appropriate dispute resolution processes rather than "public invective", and reminding CheckUser operators to abide strictly to the Wikimedia Foundation's privacy policy, have the support of five arbitrators, with none opposing.

Motion to close

• Sarah Palin protection wheel war: A case involving allegations of wheel-warring on the Sarah Palin article, over a dispute as to the merits of page protection being applied in respect of it. Remedies instructing the parties to follow the principles adopted in the case, admonishing Jossi and MZMcBride for their use of administrative tools in the dispute, and urging the community to continue discussions regarding the improvement of the biographies of living persons policy, have the support of seven to eight arbitrators. Remedies restricting Jossi and MZMcBride from unprotecting or reducing the edit-protection status of a biography of a living person for 90 days have the support of five arbitrators, with two abstaining (meaning that the remedies have a majority). A motion to close is active on the case, currently supported by four and opposed by FloNight; the case is unlikely to close until voting has completed on a few points.

Also this week: Experimental RfA — News and notes — Dispatches — Features and admins — Technology report — Arbitration report
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