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  • This house believes that the US Democratic Party should aggressively “fight dirty” going forward.

    Infoslide

    In politics, “fighting dirty” refers to the use of tactics by political parties that are technically legal, but are deemed as against the spirit of democracy. Examples of "fighting dirty" include excessively redrawing electoral districts in their favour, launching smear campaigns against their opposing politicians, pitting their opposing politicians into scandals, etc.

    Singapore International Schools Debating Championships 2025 · Semifinals · 2025-11-16

  • This house prefers the use of jury trials over bench trials.

    Infoslide

    In criminal trials, a jury is a group of usually 12 ordinary citizens chosen at random to hear the evidence of the case given to the court, decide what facts of the case they believe, and deliver a verdict of the case (i.e. "guilty" or "not guilty"). Members of the jury are prohibited from discussing the case with anyone other than another member of the jury until the trial is complete. The decision of the jury must be unanimous or reach an acceptable majority. If the jury decides a "not guilty" verdict, the accused is let go; if the jury decides a "guilty" verdict, the accused is convicted of the crime and the judge proceeds to determine the criminal sentence. Although the judge cannot directly influence the jury, they typically brief members of the jury how to properly and fairly assess the evidence of the case. A criminal trial that includes a jury is called a jury trial. A criminal trial that does not have a jury is called a bench trial. In bench trials, only the judges themselves hear a case and decide the verdict.

    Singapore International Schools Debating Championships 2025 · Senior Quarterfinals · 2025-11-16

  • This house, as the journalist, W take the bribe.

    Infoslide

    You are a journalist living in a democratic state with endemic corruption covering the upcoming elections. A local politician that is known to engage in corrupt actions has approached you to bribe you to focus on his opponents instead of scrutinising his actions. Agreeing to this would ensure a steady source of future funding for your journalistic career.

    LUMS Asians x OPFDC 2025 · Round 1 · 2025-11-10

  • This house would remove patents for eco-friendly technologies.

    Infoslide

    Patents give inventors exclusive rights to produce or sell their inventions for a certain period of time, preventing others from copying or using the same technology without permission

    LUMS Asians x OPFDC 2025 · Semifinals · 2025-11-10

  • This house prefers a widespread adoption of process-based as opposed to outcomes-based environmental regulation

    Infoslide

    Process-based environmental regulations refers to regulations that prescribe specific practices (i.e. use of renewable energy sources, specific farming techniques to reduce emission, etc.) in protecting the environment. In comparison, outcomes-based regulation (e.g. emission caps or waste reduction goals) without prescribing how they must be achieved

    LUMS Asians x OPFDC 2025 · Semifinals · 2025-11-10

  • This house believes that the Democrats should fight dirty (e.g. rezoning electoral districts in their favour, frequent filibustering, initiating politicised investigations against opponents, etc.)

    Cambridge Intervarsity 2025 · Round 3 · 2025-11-08

  • This house believes that developing countries should actively encourage the development of sin cities

    Infoslide

    "Sin Cities" refers to cities where criminalized/heavily regulated vices (prostitution, gambling, illicit drugs) are legalized. Examples include Amsterdam, Macau, Tijuana.

    Chancellor's Cup 2025 · Round 2 · 2025-11-08

  • This House Believes That states with predominantly Muslim populations should embrace Islamic modernism over Islamic secularism.

    Infoslide

    Islamic modernism refers to a movement which attempts to syncretize the Islamic faith with values typically associated with western modernity, including but not lmited to democracy, civil rights, and equality. It is described by scholar Mustafa Akyol as an effort to re-read Islam's fundamental sources--the Qur'an and the Sunna--by placing them in their historical context, and then reasssessing them in the light of the modern context. It is contrasted with Islamic secularism, which argues that Islamic influences on political and legal systems should be removed in favor of a separation of religion and state.

    USC Mini 2025 · Round 3 · 2025-11-08

  • This house supports the creation of legal cyber-arms markets

    Infoslide

    The cyber-arms market refers to the trade of software vulnerabilities, exploits, and hacking tools. In recent years, companies such as Zerodium and NSO Group have emerged to operate in the legal segment of this market. These firms acquire exploits both through in-house research and by offering public bounty programs, where they publish price lists detailing substantial payouts, ranging from tens of thousands to millions of dollars, for previously unknown vulnerabilities that meet specific criteria (for example, $1 million for a verified iOS remote code execution exploit)

    Chancellor's Cup 2025 · Semifinals · 2025-11-08

  • This House Prefers Legal Formalism over Legal Realism when interpreting laws

    Infoslide

    Legal formalism holds that law is a set of coherent and autonomous rules, and that its correct application depends on a strict interpretation of the letter of the law, without considering social, political, or economic factors. Legal realism holds that law cannot be separated from social and political realities, and that judges inevitably make decisions influenced by context, practical consequences, and social values.

    Santa Fe Open 2025 · Semifinals Novice · 2025-11-07

  • This House Prefers Legal Formalism over Legal Realism when interpreting laws.

    Infoslide

    Legal formalism holds that law is a set of coherent and autonomous rules, and that its correct application depends on a strict interpretation of the letter of the law, without considering social, political, or economic factors. Legal realism holds that law cannot be separated from social and political realities, and that judges inevitably make decisions influenced by context, practical consequences, and social values.

    Santa Fe Open 2025 · Semifinals · 2025-11-07