[quote="Gxeremio Dimsum":x8wx3xs5]... a judiciary is not necessarily the right solution to forum moderation. We saw this not long ago, when the Chief Judge appealed to forum moderation, then made us all aware he was the one who would be moderating.
To be honest, I think we need LESS moderation on the forums, and a public record of edits too (a la wikis), because our community meets here more than inworld.[/quote:x8wx3xs5]I mostly agree with these statements.
My opinion is that the least amount of moderation is the best and I try personally not to moderate anyone because I am a firm believer in free speech, but ... It needs to be pointed out that this forum is one of the "[i:x8wx3xs5]loosest[/i:x8wx3xs5]" and least moderated forums you will find. Almost any other forum (LL's being an especially good example), is moderated far more than this one is. Perhaps the perception that this forum is "over-moderated" comes from the fact that the moderators try to communicate with everyone about their moderation whereas in other forums (LL's being a great example yet again), tons of people are being "moderated" and even banned in the background all the time. You just are not made aware of it.
Additionally, having been in on the discussion as to what rules we [b:x8wx3xs5]should[/b:x8wx3xs5] have on this forum when we first set it up, I can tell you that it was the opinion of everyone involved that the rules be specific and clear, but also much less negating of either individuals or their ideas. On LL's forums, there are words you can't say and ideas you can't express. Posts are removed or edited with no grounds for appeal and no reason given half the time. More importantly, individuals are sometimes banned merely for expressing ideas that the moderators (and Linden Labs) don't agree with.
I had the pleasure of this experience myself 
Here there is none of that. Here, you have to be a complete jerk to get into trouble. You basically have to personally attack someone, not apologise, ignore a warning, attack someone again, and then insult the moderator to really see any kind of downside to your atrocious behaviour. IMO it would be quite a feat to find yourself kicked out of these forums or in any kind of serious trouble.
In answer to Ash and Michel re fairness and justice, I think Gxeremio has said it best above. Involving the judiciary in forum moderation is just not the best solution, and not viable as an option.
A forum is like a classroom or discussion group, if the moderators (teachers or supervisors in this metaphor), decide that someone is not playing very nice with their fellows, they issue a short, polite reprimand on the spot. To involve the judiciary in their decision to make the offending party "stand out in the hall" for a while is ridiculously over the top. Imagine if we had to have a case, and a trial and lawyers and meetings over every single moderation that took place in the forum. We would spend all our second lives merely having trials about forum moderation which is a prospect that only a few (or one) of us would enjoy.
The forum rules are clear, simple, minimal and easily interpretable by all. Almost all moderations take the form or warnings over "personal attacks" which are clearly discernible as such by anyone with a normal brain and an honest disposition.
If someone really doesn't get why calling another person a [i:x8wx3xs5]"stupid <insert expletive here>" [/i:x8wx3xs5]on a public forum is [b:x8wx3xs5]not[/b:x8wx3xs5] a good thing, and if the warning/explanation of [b:x8wx3xs5]why[/b:x8wx3xs5] it's not a good thing didn't sink in either, then perhaps they should not be posting at all.
