Clan Blacklist Appeal Policy

A clan blacklist prevents an individual from submitting future applications for membership in [RS] Rogue Soldiers Clan. This policy establishes how eligible individuals may appeal that restriction.

1. Purpose of a Blacklist Appeal

A blacklist appeal allows an eligible individual to request removal from the [RS] clan blacklist.

The appeal concerns only the individual's eligibility to submit a future clan application. It does not automatically:

• Restore previous clan membership.
• Restore previous roles, rank, tenure, or permissions.
• Reverse a Discord or game-server ban.
• Remove other disciplinary records or restrictions.
• Guarantee approval of a future clan application.

All blacklist appeals must be submitted and handled through the designated [RS] Discord ticket system.

2. Eligibility to Appeal

A blacklist appeal may normally be submitted after a minimum waiting period of 90 days from the date the blacklist was issued.

Leadership may require a longer waiting period depending on:

• The severity of the original conduct.
• The circumstances surrounding the blacklist.
• The individual's behavior following the blacklist.
• Additional incidents occurring after the blacklist was issued.

Submission of an appeal does not guarantee that it will advance to formal review or voting. Appeals that do not meet eligibility requirements may be closed without further review.

Permanently Non-Appealable Blacklists

Blacklists issued for the following conduct are permanently ineligible for the standard appeal process:

• Cheating, hacking, or knowingly assisting cheaters.
• Discriminatory, hateful, or targeted harassing behavior.
• Poaching members, staff, or community resources.
• Credible threats, doxxing, stalking, or exposing private information.
• Fraud, chargebacks, impersonation, or deliberate attempts to harm the community.
• Ban evasion or use of alternate accounts to bypass a blacklist or other disciplinary action.

Senior Leadership may classify other exceptionally severe conduct as permanently non-appealable.

3. Appeal Ticket Questions

When submitting a blacklist appeal, the appellant will be required to answer the following questions:

1. Do you understand why you were blacklisted?
2. Why should you no longer be blacklisted?
3. What would you change if your appeal were approved?

These answers help the reviewing teams determine whether the appellant understands the original decision, accepts responsibility where appropriate, and has demonstrated meaningful change.

Incomplete, intentionally vague, misleading, or dishonest answers may negatively affect the appeal.

4. Appeal Submission Requirements

The appellant must:

• Submit the appeal through the designated Discord ticket system.
• Fully and honestly answer all required appeal questions.
• Explain the circumstances that resulted in the blacklist without intentionally omitting relevant information.
• Accept responsibility when the available evidence supports the original blacklist.
• Explain what has changed since the blacklist was issued.
• Explain how their conduct would be different if permitted to apply again.
• Disclose previous or alternate accounts when relevant or when requested by staff.
• Provide evidence they believe was overlooked, misunderstood, or unavailable when the original decision was made.

Appeals consisting primarily of excuses, dishonesty, accusations, blame-shifting, or attempts to minimize the original conduct may be denied without advancing to a vote.

Submission of a ticket does not create an automatic right to a vote.

5. Appeal Review Timeline

A blacklist appeal that advances through the normal process consists of two separate stages.

Five-Day Review & Discussion Period

During the five-day review period, discussion takes place in both:

• The appeal ticket with the appellant, where Appeals Team and Retention Team members may ask questions, request clarification, and evaluate responses.
• The internal team discussion associated with the ticket, where eligible team members may review evidence and discuss the appeal without the appellant present.

The appellant is expected to remain available, respectful, and cooperative throughout the review period.

Three-Day Voting Period

After the five-day review period concludes, an eligible appeal enters a three-day voting period.

The vote remains open for the full three days unless Senior Leadership determines that the appeal must be paused because of new information, an active investigation, or another exceptional circumstance.

6. Internal Discussion & Confidentiality

The appellant may participate in the discussion occurring inside their appeal ticket. They are not entitled to participate in or view internal staff discussions.

The appellant is not entitled to receive:

• Internal team discussions.
• Individual staff votes.
• The identities of specific voters.
• Internal staff notes.
• Confidential reports or evidence.
• Information that could expose another member, reporter, or staff member.
• Information that could compromise internal procedures or investigations.

Staff may provide a general explanation of the final decision without disclosing protected or confidential information.

7. Cooperation & Conduct

The appellant must remain respectful, honest, and cooperative throughout the appeal process.

An appeal may be immediately closed or denied for:

• Harassing, insulting, or threatening staff.
• Attempting to pressure staff members into voting a particular way.
• Privately contacting staff members about an active appeal.
• Encouraging friends, clan members, or others to influence the decision.
• Lying, concealing relevant information, or falsifying evidence.
• Hiding previous or alternate accounts.
• Repeatedly arguing after being instructed to wait for the review or voting process.
• Retaliating against staff, reporters, witnesses, or other community members.
• Attempting to disrupt or manipulate the appeal process.
• Leaving the Discord before the appeal is completed.
• Closing, abandoning, or intentionally interfering with the ticket before the process is completed.

Conduct during the appeal may itself be considered when determining whether the appellant has demonstrated meaningful behavioral change.

8. Staff Conflicts of Interest

Appeals Team and Retention Team members must evaluate appeals impartially.

A team member should recuse themselves when they:

• Were directly involved in a serious personal dispute with the appellant.
• Have a close personal relationship with the appellant.
• Cannot evaluate the appeal fairly and impartially.
• Are the subject of allegations being reviewed during the appeal.
• Have another conflict that could reasonably affect their decision.

A recused team member may provide relevant factual information or evidence but may not vote.

Recused members do not count toward the minimum voting requirement.

9. Voting Standards

Only eligible members of the Appeals Team and Retention Team may vote on a blacklist appeal.

Votes may come entirely from one team or from a combination of both teams.

Team members who cannot vote impartially must recuse themselves.

If fewer than three eligible votes are received during the voting period, Senior Leadership may extend, restart, or pause the vote. An appellant should not be approved or denied solely because of insufficient team participation.

Because a blacklist prevents future clan membership, the responsibility is on the appellant to demonstrate that removing the blacklist is appropriate.

10. Equal Treatment

All blacklist appeals must be evaluated under the same standards.

None of the following provide preferential treatment:

• Donations or financial contributions.
• Supporter or donor status.
• Popularity within the community.
• Friendships with members or staff.
• Previous clan rank or Leadership position.
• Previous membership duration.
• Server activity.
• Community influence.
• Personal relationships with voters.

Donors and supporters are not entitled to a faster review, shorter waiting period, additional voting consideration, or more favorable outcome.

Financial support does not purchase immunity from community rules, disciplinary actions, blacklist decisions, or appeal requirements.

11. Decision Factors

Eligible voters should consider the complete circumstances of the appeal, including:

• The severity of the original conduct.
• The reason the blacklist was issued.
• Whether the original blacklist was supported by reliable evidence.
• Whether the appellant understands why they were blacklisted.
• Whether the appellant accepts responsibility.
• Whether their answers are complete, truthful, and consistent.
• Whether they attempted to minimize or excuse their conduct.
• The amount of time that has passed.
• Their conduct since being blacklisted.
• Their behavior during the appeal process.
• Additional incidents involving [RS] or other communities.
• Whether the original behavior appears likely to happen again.
• Whether allowing another application would create unnecessary risk.
• Whether meaningful behavioral change has been demonstrated.
• Whether the appellant appears capable of following current clan expectations.

Popularity, friendships, activity, donations, prior membership, or previous rank must not override legitimate conduct or safety concerns.

12. Appeal Outcomes

A blacklist appeal has two standard voting outcomes: Approved or Denied.

Approved

If the appeal is approved:

• The clan blacklist will be removed.
• The appellant regains eligibility to submit a future clan application.
• Previous clan membership is not restored.
• Previous roles, ranks, permissions, tenure, or status are not restored.
• The appellant is not automatically accepted back into the clan.
• Any future application will be evaluated under the membership requirements in effect at that time.

Approval does not mean the original blacklist was incorrect.

Denied

If the appeal is denied:

• The blacklist remains active.
• The appellant remains ineligible to submit a clan application.
• The ticket may include a concise explanation of the decision.
• Staff are not required to disclose confidential evidence, internal discussions, individual votes, or voter identities.
• The appellant must complete the applicable waiting period before submitting another appeal.

13. Permanent Closure

Permanent closure is not a standard voting option.

Senior Leadership may make an appeal or blacklist permanently non-appealable when circumstances are severe enough to justify it.

Reasons may include:

• New evidence of permanently non-appealable conduct.
• Deliberate deception during an appeal.
• Falsified evidence.
• Concealment of alternate accounts.
• Ban evasion.
• Retaliation against staff, reporters, or witnesses.
• Threats or harassment.
• Repeated manipulation or abuse of the appeal system.
• Conduct intended to harm the clan or community.
• Reaching the maximum number of denied appeals.

Once permanently closed, additional blacklist appeal tickets will not be accepted unless Senior Leadership determines that exceptional circumstances justify reopening the matter.

14. Reapplication After Approval

Removal from the blacklist does not restore previous membership, rank, tenure, permissions, reputation, or standing within the clan.

After completing that waiting period, the individual must:

• Submit a new clan application through the current application system.
• Meet all current membership requirements.
• Complete the normal application and review process.
• Disclose the previous blacklist when requested.
• Demonstrate appropriate conduct during the application review period.
• Accept that the application may receive additional scrutiny because of the previous blacklist.

Approval of the blacklist appeal does not guarantee that the future clan application will be approved.

15. Repeat Appeals

A denied blacklist appeal cannot be immediately resubmitted.

The waiting period begins on the date the denial is issued.

Appeals submitted before the applicable waiting period expires may be closed without review.

Senior Leadership may review substantial new evidence clearly demonstrating that a previous decision was based on materially incorrect information. The existence of new evidence does not guarantee that an appeal will be reopened or approved.

Attempting to bypass a waiting period through alternate accounts, other ticket categories, private messages, or another individual may result in permanent closure of the appeal process.

16. Effect on Other Disciplinary Actions

A clan blacklist appeal applies only to eligibility for future clan membership.

Approval does not automatically reverse or remove:

• Discord bans.
• Discord warnings or disciplinary records.
• Game-server bans.
• Website restrictions.
• Event restrictions.
• Staff notes.
• Probationary restrictions.
• Restrictions imposed by another community or service.

Separate disciplinary actions must be appealed through their applicable appeal processes when an appeal process is available.

17. Senior Leadership Authority

Senior Leadership retains authority to:

• Confirm whether an individual is eligible to appeal.
• Require a longer initial waiting period when appropriate.
• Reject appeals that do not meet submission or eligibility requirements.
• Pause an appeal when additional investigation is required.
• Extend or restart a vote when the minimum voting requirement is not met.
• Review allegations involving conflicts of interest.
• Overturn an approval when material information was concealed.
• Reinstate a blacklist when approval was obtained through deception or falsified information.
• Permanently close an appeal in exceptional or severe circumstances.
• Classify serious conduct as permanently non-appealable.
• Interpret and enforce this policy when an unusual situation is not specifically addressed.

Leadership authority must not be used to provide preferential treatment based on donations, friendships, previous rank, popularity, or community influence.

18. Final Rule