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The Discipline and Appeals Committee of the Lubbock Soccer Association is the judicial branch of the Association. Appeals about actions and/or decisions of Association officers, coaches, and referees will be filed with the Chairman of the Appeals and Discipline Committee unless an alternate review process is specified in some part of the By-Laws or the Rules & Regulations of the Lubbock Soccer Association. Protests and grievances will also be filed with the Chairman. The referees of Lubbock Soccer Association sanctioned games will file a North Texas State Soccer Association Referee’s Report of Misconduct with the Chairman for ALL incidents in which the referee issues a CAUTION, SEND OFF, or suspends a game or alleges misconduct by any person (this includes cases of alleged referee abuse - the referee must file a copy of the Report with the Chairman even though the incident will be adjudicated by the North Texas State Soccer Association).

    NOTE: All comments in this chapter regarding the actions of the North Texas State
               Soccer Association, its officers, and its committees are explanatory in nature and
               do not bind the State Association in any way. The actions of the State Association,
               its officers and committees are governed by the North Texas State Soccer
               Association Administrative Handbook. The explanations included herein are
               intended to inform the members of the Lubbock Soccer Association of their rights
               and obligations due to the Lubbock Soccer Association’s membership in the North
               Texas State Soccer Association. In case of conflicts between this chapter and the
               North Texas State Soccer Association Administrative Handbook, the NTSSA
               Handbook will be the definitive document.

    5.5.1. North Texas State Soccer Association has exclusive jurisdiction over assault or abuse
             of officials, both referee and assistant referee, in any competition by the State or
             Member Associations. This jurisdiction includes:

                            a. all USSF registered referees (adult and youth).

b. any non‑licensed person serving in any emergency capacity as a game
official.

    5.5.2. If there is an assault/abuse of any game official by any person, including players,
             coaches, managers, or spectators, a report of the alleged assault/abuse will be
             submitted immediately to the NTSSA A & D Committee Chairman, the appropriate
             State Commissioner (Adult Men’s, Adult’s Women’s, Youth or Indoor), the
             Olympic Development Program Chairman, and the Chairman of the State
             Referee Committee. This subcommittee, chaired by the NTSSA A & D
             Chairman, shall review and investigate the report(s) as submitted, and upon
             proper investigation shall determine the seriousness of the alleged
             assault/abuse in a timely manner.

    5.5.3. Should the majority of the members of the subcommittee listed above determine
             there is sufficient evidence to consider the incident a referee assault or referee
             abuse,, a formal assault hearing will be held within thirty (30) days of verification of the
             incident. An intentional act upon or towards a game official shall be deemed ‘referee
             assault’ or referee abuse in the North Texas State Soccer Association under the
             terms, references, and conditions of the United States Soccer Federation Policy
             531‑9.

             If the subcommittee determines there is sufficient evidence to consider the
             incident referee assault, the committee, at its discretion, may suspend the
             individual involved until the hearing on the alleged assault.

             Should the subcommittee determine the action committed to be Misconduct
             Towards a Referee rather than Referee Assault or Referee Abuse, it shall
             impose an administrative punishment of a three (3) game suspension. A formal
             hearing will not be held unless it is requested by the suspended party. Should
             a formal hearing be requested and held, it shall be an NTSSA Executive
             Committee hearing as described above.

5.5.4. Assault hearings shall be conducted by the State Executive Committee in the following
manner:

                    5.5.4.1. The alleged offending party is requested to be present at such hearings,
                                however, if he is not present, the State Executive Committee will act upon
                                the matter with the information before it.

                    5.5.4.2. The game officials are required to be present at the hearings. However, if
                                they are not present, the State Executive Committee will act upon the
                                matter with the information before it.

                    5.5.4.3. It is intended that the officials’ reports be clear and that no explanations
                                are required at the hearings. Only the State Executive Committee will
                                question the officials. If the offending party or any other party or any other
                                person(s) need explanation, such queries will be addressed through the
                                Chair.

                    5.5.5.1. Referee assault is an intentional act of physical violence at or upon a
                                referee (an act intended to bring about a result which will invade the
                                interests of another in a way that is socially unacceptable. Unintended
                                consequences of the act are irrelevant.). Assault includes but is not
                                limited to the following acts committed upon a referee: hitting, kicking,
                                punching, choking, spitting on, grabbing or bodily running into a referee;
                                head butting; the act of kicking or throwing any object at a referee that
                                could inflict injury; damaging the referee's uniform or personal property,
                                i.e. car, equipment, etc.

                    5.5.5.2. Referee abuse is a verbal statement or physical act not resulting in bodily
                                contact which implies or threatens physical harm to a referee or the
                                referee's property or equipment. Abuse includes, but is not limited to the
                                following acts committed upon a referee: using foul or abusive language
                                toward a referee; spewing any beverage on a referee's personal property;
                                spitting at (but not on) the referee; or verbally threatening a referee. Verbal
                                threats are remarks that carry the implied or direct threat of physical
                                harm. Such remarks as, "I'll get you after the game" or "You won't get out
                                of here in one piece", shall be deemed referee abuse.

                   5.5.5.3. Misconduct at a referee means persistent statements or physical acts
                                directed toward a referee during or after a game, that do not constitute
                                referee assault or abuse as provided under United States Soccer
                                Federation policy 531.9, but that mistreat the referee or are inappropriate
                                or unacceptable statements or acts, and may include the following:

c. statements or acts that serve to intimidate without threatening
physical harm to the referee.

d. examples of misconduct that arise under the description above
include the following:

                         3. throwing or kicking an item as a sign of disrespect
                             or dissent but without the chance of hitting the
                             referee;

These are only some of the examples of possible misconduct and are not all-inclusive, but apply only in the following situations:

a. if a proceeding is brought against an individual for referee
assault or abuse, or both, under Federation Policy 531.9: or

            b. if the individual is ejected from a game and, after the
                ejection, engages in conduct that is misconduct under this
                policy.

The person committing the referee assault is automatically suspended as follows:

                                                (a) for a minor or slight touching of the referee or the referee's
                                                     uniform or personal property, at least 3 months from the
                                                     time of the assault;

(b) except as provided in clause (c) or (d), for any other
assault, at least 6 months from the time of the assault;

                                                (d) for an assault when serious injuries are inflicted, at least 5
                                                     years.
                     5.5.6.2. Referee Abuse

The person committing the referee abuse shall be suspended
for a minimum of three (3) games.

The person committing the misconduct towards a referee
shall be suspended for a minimum of three (3) games .

                     5.5.6.4. Any suspension assessed against an individual under this section
                                  does not affect any other suspension and/ or fine that may be
                                  imposed by an association or league for a violation that is not
                                  referee assault or abuse.

    5.5.7. Any party found to have committed the act of referee assault, referee abuse, or
             misconduct towards a referee shall have the right to appeal, within ten (10) days of
             receipt of the decision, to the USSF Appeals Board, following USSF Bylaw 705.

Should a player (male or female) be found guilty of referee assault, the
State Executive Committee may, at its discretion, impose upon the team
of which the player is a member, the requirement of posting a $1,000 cash bond to be held in the treasury of NTSSA without interest for period of one (1) year after posting. This cash bond will be required to be posted before the team may engage in any further games within the boundaries of NTSSA. Should any other member of said team be found guilty of a referee assault during that one (1) year period, the team shall forfeit the bond, and another similar bond will be required before the team can continue in competition. If no member of the team commits a referee assault during the one (1) year period, the bond will be returned to the person or persons designated to receive such payment. No member of such team which has failed to post such bond will be permitted to register with another team until that member has posted a $50 bond with NTSSA; nor shall any new member be allowed to register on that team until such member has posted a $50 bond, such bonds to be held under the same terms and conditions as the team bonds

            Should the State subcommittee, as noted in paragraph 5.5.2., determine the
            action as misconduct at a referee but less than abuse or assault, it shall impose
            not less than a three (3) game suspension. A formal hearing will not be held
            unless requested. Misconduct at a referee means persistent statements or
            physical acts directed toward a referee during or after a game, that do not
            constitute referee assault or abuse as provided under the United States
            Soccer Federation Policy 531-9, but that mistreat the referee or are
            inappropriate or unacceptable statements or acts, and may include the
            following:

                    a. excessive incidences of foul or abusive language at the referee;
                    b. statements that diminish the authority of the referee;
                    c. statements or acts that serve to intimidate without threatening
                        physical harm to the referee

Examples of misconduct that arise under the description above include the
following:

                    a. confronting the referee without physically threatening the referee;
                    b. spitting on the ground or in the air but not at the referee;
                    c. throwing or kicking an item as a sign of disrespect or dissent, but
                        without the chance of hitting the referee;
                    d. re-entering the field.

These are only some of the examples of possible misconduct and are not all
inclusive, but apply only in the following situations:

                    a. if a proceeding is brought against an individual for referee assault or
                        abuse, or both, under Federation Policy 531-9 or;
                    b. if the individual is ejected from a game and, after the ejection,
                        engages in conduct that is misconduct under this policy.

            If the individual is found to have committed misconduct under this policy, he
            shall be suspended at least the next 3 scheduled games. This suspension is in
            addition to any other suspension and/or fines that may be imposed on the
            individual by an association or league.

5.1 Authority	5.2 Misconduct of Players/ Coaches/ Assistant Coaches
5.3 Misconduct of Spectators	5.4 Misconduct & Punishment of Teams
5.5 Misconduct Toward Referee	5.6 Misconduct of Referee
5.7 Appellate Procedures	5.8 Records