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Escalation Process

Appeal a judging decision with clarity and consequence. Once the initial judging phase is complete, researchers have the opportunity to appeal a decision they believe was misjudged—by initiating an escalation.

Who Can Escalate

  • Only the original submitter of a finding can initiate an escalation.
  • Escalations must include additional context or justification for why the severity should be reconsidered.

Penalty for Invalid Escalations

  • Invalid escalations will result in a $100 penalty, deducted from any future competition earnings.
  • This system is in place to prevent unnecessary or speculative appeals.

Judging Authority

  • All escalations are reviewed by Cantina.
  • Cantina’s decision is final.

Private Comments

  • You can add private comments to any finding—visible only to judges.
  • These are useful both during initial judging and if you escalate.
  • If commenting on others’ findings, stay professional: keep your notes objective and specific.