LUBBOCK SOCCER ASSOCIATION

BY-LAWS

and

GENERAL RULES

September, 1987

REVISED: August, 2006

LUBBOCK SOCCER ASSOCIATION

BY-LAWS and GENERAL RULES  

Chapter 1: By-Laws of the Lubbock Soccer Association

Lubbock Soccer Association

By-Laws

1. Chapter 1: By-Laws of the Lubbock Soccer Association

 1.11. (ARTICLE XI) HEARINGS AND APPEALS

            1.11.1. The Lubbock Soccer Association will provide equitable and prompt
                       hearing and appeal procedures to guarantee the rights of individuals to
                       participate and compete and insure due process to the accused. In all
                       hearings conducted, the parties shall be accorded:

                1.11.1.1. Notice of the specific charges or alleged violations in writing and
                              possible consequences if the charges are found to be true.

                1.11.1.2. Reasonable time between receipt of the notice of charges and the
                              hearing within which to prepare a defense.

                1.11.1.3. The right to have the hearing conducted at a time and place so as to
                              make it practical for the person charged to attend.

                 1.11.1.4. A hearing before a disinterested and impartial body of fact finders.

                 1.11.1.5. The right to be assisted in the preparation of one’s case at the
                               hearing.

                 1.11.1.6. The right to call witnesses and present oral and written evidence
                               and argument.

                 1.11.1.7. The right to confront witnesses, including the right to be provided the
                               identity of witnesses in advance of the hearing if requested.

                 1.11.1.8. The right to have a record made of the hearing if requested in
                               advance, with all costs to be paid by the requester.

                 1.11.1.9. A written decision, with the reasons for the decision, based solely
                               on the evidence of record, issued in a timely fashion and including
                               appeal rights and procedures.

               1.11.1.10. Notice of any substantive and material action of the hearing panel in
                               the course of the proceedings.

               1.11.1.11. Equality concerning communications, and no ex parte
                               communication is permitted between a party and any person
                               involved in making a decision or procedural determination except to
                               provide explanations involving procedures to be followed.

        1.11.2. The Lubbock Soccer Association will honor all orders of suspension of
                   persons issued by the North Texas State Soccer Association or one of its
                   Member Associations.

        1.11.3. Decisions of the Discipline and Appeals Committee may be appealed to the
                   Board of Directors of the Lubbock Soccer Association. Procedures for filing
                   appeals with the Board of Directors shall be exactly as for filing with the
                   Discipline and Appeals Committee except that all materials shall be
                   submitted to the President as chairman of the Board of Directors, who shall
                   notify all concerned parties of the receipt of the appeal and the time and
                   place for the hearing. Decisions of the Board of Directors may be appealed
                   to the Appeals and Disciplinary Committee of the North Texas State Soccer
                   Association by following the procedures set forth in the NTSSA
                   Administrative Handbook.

        1.11.4. All appeals must be submitted in writing and received by the presiding
                   officer of the Committee or Board within five (5) days of the appealed
                   decision. All appeals shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee (cash or
                   cashier’s check) as set by the Board of Directors. If the appeal is upheld by
                   the Committee, the fee shall be returned. If the appeal is denied, the fee
                   shall be forfeited to the treasury of the Lubbock Soccer Association. In the
                   case of appeals regarding individual suspensions, the Discipline and
                   Appeals Committee may waive the established fee. 1.11.5. The Committee,
                   at its sole discretion, may, when requested in writing to do so, waive the
                   time limit for filing appeals but in no case shall an extension of more than
                   ten (10) days be granted.

        1.11.6. All appeals to the Committee must be made in writing to the chairman of the
                   Committee who shall then notify all the members of the Committee. In
                   cases of controversy as to timely receipt of appeals, the post mark date
                   (postage meter not acceptable) shall govern.

        1.11.7. Upon receipt of appeal, properly submitted, the Chairman of the Committee
                   shall set a time and place for the hearing and advise all appropriate parties.
                   Such hearing settings are solely the responsibility of the Committee but all
                   such hearings should be scheduled within ten (10) days of receipt of the
                   appeal and the appealing party is bound to present all information and
                   evidence relative to the appeal at the hearing.

        1.11.8. Decisions of the Lubbock Soccer Association Board of Directors may be
                   appealed to the Appeals and Disciplinary Committee of the North Texas
                   State Soccer Association. In no event shall any person or persons or
                   organizations under the jurisdiction of the Lubbock Soccer Association
                   resort to the courts until all appeal procedures, including appeals to the
                   North Texas State Soccer Association and to the United States Soccer
                   Federation, have been exhausted. For violations of this rule, the offending
                   party shall be subject to the sanctions of suspension and fines as set forth
                   by the United States Soccer Federation, and shall be liable for all expenses
                   incurred by the Lubbock Soccer Association and its officers and members
                   in defending each court action, including but not limited to court costs,
                   attorney fees, reasonable compensation for time spent by LSA officers and
                   members in responding to and defending against allegations in the action,
                   including responses to discovery and court appearances, travel expense,
                   and the expenses for holding special meetings necessitated by the court
                   action.

        1.11.9. All decisions at all levels of the appeal process shall stand and be of full
                   force and effect until changed by a higher authority.