A few rules questions

[Nate]

Hi,

I had a few discussions about the rules last weekend at ECC, and I
wanted to double-check my interpretations.

(1) Team O throws the disc. A defender on team D lays out, catches
the disc, and then purposely drops it. The disc is dropped while the
defender is in the air, or maybe as they hit the ground. Which team
now has possession?

(2) An offensive player catches the disc around to the goal line.
That player and their defender start to argue about whether it should
be a score. During this argument, is the defender allowed to stall
the offensive player? Just for clarity, the discussion was something
like:
D: "Not in, stalling one ... two ..."
O: "No, that's a score, I was in"
D: "... four ... no, you weren't in ... five ..."

(3) The thrower pivots to fake a break-mark backhand and gets hacked
by the marker. The thrower had no intention of actually throwing the
backhand -- it was purely a fake. Is it legit for the thrower to call
a foul?

Thanks,
- Nate

[Colin]

(1) Team O now has possession. Because the disc was purposefully
dropped, it is a turnover by the defender after the catch. Rules that
don't apply include II.O (loss of possession due to ground contact
negates earlier possession) and XII.C (intercepted disc accidentally
dropped before or during ground contact is treated as blocked, not
caught and dropped). If the disc had been dropped accidentally or due
to ground contact, Team D would have possession.

(2) As an observer, I would give a TMF to the marker for this. There
is a dispute as to the outcome of the play (in or out of end zone), so
play stops. XVI.D. This isn't a continuation rule (XVI.C) situation,
as no infraction was called. This kind of behavior by the marker is
very similar to a marker who fouls, then blurts out no contest, taps
the disc (without it being offered for a check) and begins counting
again to try to pressure the thrower into panicking and throwing a
turnover (and failing to remember to object to the improper check).

(3) Yes. Foul.

XVI.H.3.a.1: A throwing foul may be called when there is non-
incidental contact between the thrower and marker . . .

XVI.H.3.a.1 Annotation: Nearly every instance of contact between the
thrower and marker will be non-incidental with respect to the thrower,
whether it disrupts the thrower’s concentration, interferes with the
thrower’s movement, disturbs the thrower's grip, interferes with a
throw, or affects continued play in any other way.

-Colin