What happens when a judge has a conflict of interest?

A professional relationship with a participant, teacher, or school may create a potential conflict of interest.

YAGP is developing clearer procedures for:

identifying potential conflicts;

requiring appropriate disclosure;

determining when recusal is appropriate;

protecting the independence of the judging process.

Our goal is to ensure that participants and families can understand not only who is judging, but also how potential conflicts are handled.

Last updated September 22, 2026